Fall-Front Cabinet Desk

THIS FALL-FRONT CABINET DESK AND THE MATCHING WALL UNIT IN THE PREVIOUS LOT ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF MALLET-STEVENS' FURNITURE DESIGNS, CONSTRUCTED, NOT UNLIKE HIS ARCHITECTURE, ON THE BASIS OF SIMPLE, GEOMETRIC FORMS AND LARGELY REJECTING ORNAMENT. MALLET-STEVENS WAS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN MOVEMENT IDEAS IN FRANCE. HE WAS GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE CLEAN-LINED ARCHITECTURE OF JOSEF HOFFMANN AND THE VIENNESE AVANT-GARDE. MALLET-STEVENS WAS HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE AS AN ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER AND FOUND SYMPATHETIC FRIENDS AND PATRONS - HE DESIGNED THE GRAND VILLA AT HYÈRES FOR THE COMTE AND VICOMTESSE DE NOAILLES, WAS PHOTOGRAPHED BY MAN RAY, AND CREATED FILM SETS FOR MARCEL L'HERBIER. HE BECAME A LEADING LIGHT OF THE UNION DES ARTISTES MODERNES.
PARIS-BASED COLLECTOR-DEALER MICHEL SOUILLAC WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO REDISCOVER MALLET-STEVENS' ŒUVRE IN THE 1970S, TRACKING SURVIVING WORKS FROM VARIOUS COMMISSIONS AND ACQUIRING NUMEROUS PIECES FROM THE ARTIST'S ESTATE.

WHITE PAINTED WOOD, LEATHER,
CHROME-PLATED METAL
671/2 X 591/2 X 24 IN.
(171.5 X 151 X 61 CM)

PROVENANCE:
MICHEL SOUILLAC, PARIS
PURCHASED FROM THE ABOVE BY THE PRESENT OWNER IN THE 1970S