The Genius of Leleu

This particular cabinet illustrates how Jules Leleu adapted rather than absorbed the modernist ideas that was so prevalent during his time. Born from a business oriented father in 1883, Leleu boldly opened his own studio in Paris in 1922, while he was in his mid twenties. He exhibited at the historical Exposition Industrielle et Arts Decoratifs in 1925. By the way, he won the coveted grand prize at that exposition. When most people thank about art deco, they naturally think of french art deco because of that grand 1925 exhibition in the city of lights.

Jules Leleu’s walnut cabinet

For many, the furniture of Jacques-Emile Ruhlman will forever remain the epitome of Art Deco. He gets high praises for the elegant contours of the exotic woods that he used, most of them inlaid with mother of pearls. And if you’re fortunate enough to own one or two pieces of his work, I’d say you are well and truly in a higher league than most. Having a Jules Leuleu piece of furniture grace your home is not too shabby either. His furniture is aggressively pursued by art deco lovers, museums, and interior designers with big budget clients. Today, I’m featuring this exquisite and extremely rare walnut cabinet, which I first came across earlier this year, while I attended the Winter and Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. This cabinet, from Maison Gerard, stopped me dead in my tracks because it had so much presence. And although it can be the most assertive piece of furniture in a room, somehow because of its elegance, it manages to look a bit understated. Understated elegance goes a long way, trust me. 

Leleu was an illustrious furniture designer who adroitly used some of the following materials in his decorative pieces, iribe rose together with blond shagreen, and walnut. You will often find that Art Deco furniture of the 1920s and earlier often featured shagreen, mother of pearl, eggshell, ivory, tortoiseshell, ormulu, painted parchment, snakeskin, exotic animal hides and silver and gold leaf.