Art nouveau pedestal table georges rey around 1900-1906

This exceptional side-table from 1900 is the work of artist Georges Rey. Indeed, an oval inlaid stamp mentions his name “G. REY” on the back of the table-top. About this talented cabinet-maker, whose studio was located on 44 rue de Charenton between 1905-1920, we know very little.

Georges Rey participates in the World Exposition held in Milan in 1906 where he wins the gold medal in the category : “Section 7 / Decorative Arts - group 41 to 45” for a piece of furniture.

We do not know if it is our side-table or if it is the armchair called “Le Jour et la Nuit”, currently presented in the Musée d’Orsay collections. The armchair is said to have belonged to Sarah Bernhardt and was in the collection of Josette Rispal before she gave it to the French 19th Century Art museum in 2005.

Our side-table stayed for several decades in the private collection of famous French auctioneer and author Maurice Rheims.

The art historian has written several books about the Art Nouveau movement including L’Objet 1900 in 1964 and L’Art 1900 one year later. In this last book Maurice Rheims mentions the side-table in a chapter dedicated to furniture pieces of the period. He writes :

“Unknown artist, side-table in olive wood and table-top inlaid with pewter and mother-of-pearl: the origin of this singular object in carved olive wood is unknown to us (…).”

RHEIMS, Maurice, L’Art 1900, Arts et Métiers graphiques, Paris, 1965, p. 216 and illustration 301.

The side-table remained in the family after the death of Maurice Rheims in 2003.

In regard to creations from around 1900 Georges Rey always pushes back further the boundaries of Art Nouveau, thanks to sinuous and extravagant vegetal curves obeying no symmetry. Indeed the sculpture adopts the structure of the tables with roots and branches extending all over the surfaces of the piece. The artist truly conceived a vegetal and organic precious case.

No other cabinet-maker has gone that far in the development of this bold style. This extravagant side-table with an abundant decor welcomes a new freedom of expression.