Rare Art Nouveau large table easel with antique lady’s medallion — France, circa 1900 (3702)

Rare Art Nouveau large table easel with antique lady’s medallion — France, circa 1900 (3702)

This impressive, large table easel (antique art nouveau metal display easel) is an outstanding and rare masterpiece of decorative applied art from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The item is cast from a high-quality metal alloy, which over time has acquired a noble, deep, and dark historical patina with exquisite greenish oxide and bronze accents in the depths of the relief.

The artistic substance of the easel is defined by its flowing, organic, and asymmetrical / Belle Époque composition. The upper part of the frame is crowned by a magnificent ensemble of flowers and natural lines executed in openwork technique, with the sides adorned by two fully bloomed, sculpturally rendered water lilies or calla lilies on winding stems. Integrated into the very center of the structure is an expressive, vertically oval relief medallion — an antique miniature (cameo technique), depicting a classic lady against a natural background, holding her veil with one hand, and holding a mirror or flower stem in the other. The descending axes of the frame are slender and curved, connecting to an equally magnificent, massive horizontal base shelf, the surface of which is entirely covered with openwork curls and relief floral motifs. The easel rests on a three-point system, with the rear support leg being foldable, connected by a massive original hinge, and concluding with a very beautiful, characteristic arc and “whiplash” line leg extension for complete stability.

DIMENSIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS:

• Overall height: 65 cm (Impressive and large size in the table easel category)

• Width at base: 25 cm

• Construction: Solid, medium-weight, and stable art metal body with a fully decorative openwork front frame, integrated ornamental shelf, and foldable rear support.

PERIOD OF MANUFACTURE, ART STYLE, ERA Manufactured approximately 1895–1905, in France. The item represents the purest and most academic phase of the golden age. Leading Parisian designers at this time made the female silhouette and floral motifs (lilies, orchids, irises) the main elements of interior culture. An easel of this scale (65 cm) was not intended for small business cards, but served as a representative, luxurious visual centerpiece in the main salon or reception hall of a city residence, to display larger watercolors, oil paintings, or antique mirrors in ornate gilded frames with due self-respect and aristocratic flair.

Snapshot of the era: The great Parisian theatre diva Eleonora Duse slowly walked through the salon of her apartment, repeating lines from a new play… while the hazy afternoon light streamed into the room through the high windows, making the rose petals in the porcelain vase smell sweet. Her gaze momentarily stopped at the large, dark metal easel, the outlines of the upper lady’s medallion and openwork lilies casting long, graphic shadows on the wall in the semi-darkness. This object exuded unshakable, mysterious grace—its noble metal weight and finely carved lines seemed like frozen centuries-old poetry, impeccably holding a heavy painting. She approached and lightly touched the cool, patina-covered base, feeling the unshakable “old school” craftsmanship that instantly created a complete, noble, and harmonious artistic atmosphere in the room.

MANUFACTURER AND ORIGIN The high degree of metal casting technique, the plasticity of the relief flowers, and the precision of the lady’s face and clothing folds in the medallion unequivocally point to specialized art bronze and decorative metal foundries (fonderies d’art), which supplied the elite interior salons of Paris and all of Europe during the Belle Époque period.

RARITY AND SIGNIFICANCE While small and completely simple table stands are relatively common, such a large (65 cm) easel with such a complex sculptural motif—a lady’s cameo medallion and relief water lilies—is an exceptional and unique rarity in the antique market. What makes this specimen particularly valuable is its completely intact original structure, the openwork base shelf, and the hinge mechanism, which were most often broken or lost during daily use and movement. It is an authentic specimen of the style with high collector’s substance.

APPLICATION IN INTERIOR AND DESIGN The easel will serve as a grand, representative, and instantly noticeable central visual and architectural accent on a large table, mantelpiece, console, or in a private art gallery. It is ideally suited for displaying larger format paintings, antique icons, or historical mirrors. Due to the plasticity of its dark surface and openwork structure, it creates unique plays of light and shadow and visual depth, making it an excellent object for high-level interior design photography.

CONDITION The easel is in excellent antique condition. The metal alloy construction is completely firm, solid, and monolithic. The movable rear leg and hinge mechanism function flawlessly, firmly holding the set angle of inclination. All sculptural elements, lilies, leaf scrolls, and the central lady’s medallion are original and fully preserved, without cracks or broken parts. The surface retains its authentic, century-old natural patina and dark toning in the deep grooves of the relief. The condition of use is fully reflected in the photographs.