Louis-Jean-Sylvestre Majorelle, more commonly known as Louis Majorelle, was a French artist, metalworker and Art Nouveau designer celebrated for his bedroom furniture, cabinets, chairs and decorative objects.
In 1877, Majorelle moved to Paris from the town of Nancy where he began his studies in painting under Jean-François Millet at the École de Beaux Arts. Following the death of his father, a furniture designer, he returned to Nancy and took over the family workshop. Parisian architect Henri Sauvage designed Majorelle’s house in Nancy, Villa Majorelle, which featured stained glass by Jacques Gruber.
In order to increase productivity and reduce costs — as well as shift the family business’s focus from reproductions of 18th-century furniture such as Louis XV chairs to instead working in the era’s Art Nouveau style — Majorelle integrated modern techniques and processes at his atelier (these changes were in part inspired by innovative glassmaker Emile Gallé).
The workshop became known for Majorelle’s distinctive designs and the pronounced craftsmanship of its offerings. There were tables made from mahogany and ormolu that featured handsome bronze mounts and marquetry, table lamps that shared common ground with the prized designs associated with Tiffany Studios, and decorative pieces that Majorelle produced in partnership with Daum, a revered manufacturer of French art glass.
The work was very much characterized by the botanical motifs and curvaceous silhouettes of Art Nouveau design, and the business was successful. Majorelle produced a range of items during the early 1900s and was a participant in the 1900 Paris Exposition as well as the Exposition de l'Ecole de Nancy in 1903.
In 1916, a devastating fire broke out in Majorelle’s factory on the rue du Vieil-Aître in Nancy. It destroyed all of the company’s awards, sketches, molds, equipment and archives of Majorelle’s work. In 1917, destruction again shook his business when his shop on the rue Saint-Georges was bombed by German aircraft. The designer marched on — he relocated to Paris where he shared a workspace and created vases and other vessels in the Art Deco style before he moved back to Nancy. Majorelle designed the Nancy Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925 with Alfred Lévy. He died in 1926.
Find antique Louis Majorelle cabinets, seating and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Louis Majorelle "Chicorée" Walnut and Oak Dining Suite
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
This Louis Majorelle extendable dining table, accompanied by a set of six matching chairs, is a solid display of French Art Nouveau style in furniture. The "Chicorée," or "Chicory," ...
Upholstery, Wood, Oak, Walnut
Louis Majorelle “Chicorée” Complete Art Nouveau Dining Room Set, France, 1900
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
An exceptionally rare and complete Louis Majorelle “Chicorée” dining room suite, created in Nancy, France, circa 1900. This remarkable ensemble is a superb example of French Art Nouv...
Bronze
Art Nouveau Dining Set by Louis Majorelle, Walnut & Marble, c. 1905
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
An Art Nouveau set consisting of a wooden table with a Violet d'Afyon marble top, two open-sided armchairs, and four chairs, model "AUX CLEMATITES," all with carved and openwork deco...
Breccia Marble
$4,995
H 31 in W 59 in D 29.5 in
Louis Majorelle Style Art Deco Burled Walnut Executive Desk Circa 1930s
By Louis Majorelle
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional antique French Art Deco or Art Nouveau double pedestal executive writing desk In the manner of Louis Majorelle France, Circa 1930s Book-matched burled walnut, with ...
Brass
$55,974 / set
H 28.35 in W 22.84 in D 14.57 in
Amazing set of Art Nouveau Nesting Tables by Emile Galle ''Thistle'' 1905 Walnut
By Émile Gallé
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
A set of four French Art Nouveau nesting tables by Emile Gallé decorated with fruitwood marquetry in a motif of carlile thistle and butterflies. Each table represents a different sta...
Wood, Walnut
$14,975 / set
H 61 in W 47.25 in D 25.5 in
1920"s Art Nouveau Mahogany Ormolu Mounted Vanity and Majorelle Stool
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This elegant early twentieth-century French Art Nouveau vanity is a remarkable example of the movement's celebration of organic beauty, exceptional craftsmanship, and functional desi...
Mahogany
$4,600
H 29.25 in W 32 in D 22.25 in
Antique Italian Art Nouveau Desk or Side Table in the Manner of Louis Majorelle
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Chicago, IL
A study in proportion and material, this petite writing desk, dating to the early 1900s, reflects the sensibility of the Art Nouveau period, in the manner of Louis Majorelle. Its sc...
Wood, Parchment Paper
Louis Majorelle French Art Nouveau Table
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau table by Louis Majorelle. The table top is decorated with leaves and flowering vines in fruitwood marquetry. The table's marquetry sides are ornamented with a ...
Wood
$1,500 / set
H 32 in W 16 in D 23 in
Vintage French Art Nouveau Style Wrought Iron Garden Patio Dining Set - 5 Pc Set
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Art Nouveau Style Wrought Iron Garden Patio Dining Set - 5 Pc Set. Set includes 4 dining chairs with leafy detail to backs and round perforated seats. Table includes a...
Wrought Iron
$3,100
H 29 in W 18 in D 18 in
Rare Art Nouveau Jugendstil Single Drawer Writing Desk Cabriole Louis Majorelle
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Peoria, AZ
EXQUISITE! JUGENDSTIL SINGLE DRAWER WRITING DESK UNIQUE CABRIOLE LEGS OAK & VARIOUS WOODS MAGNIFICENT! (DIMENSIONS: Approximately 29" Tall By 18" Wide By 18" Deep) H...
Fruitwood, Oak
Louis Majorelle French Art Nouveau Games Table
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau games table by Louis Majorelle, featuring an inlaid marquetry top and carved legs and skirt. The marquetry decoration features stems, leave and, flowers around a...
Wood
$5,000
H 30.25 in W 27.5 in D 27.5 in
Louis Majorelle Signed French Art Nouveau Game Table, circa 1900
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Dallas, TX
A French Art Nouveau marquetry walnut and exotic wood game table signed by Louis Majorelle. The tabletop is decorated with large leaves and stems. Stylized with fine marquetry side a...
Walnut
French Art Deco Dining Room Set
Located in Long Island City, NY
This stunning and rare French Art Deco dining set captures the nobility and distinct modern elegance typical of the period. Crafted from rich solid mahogany and premium veneers, it o...
Mahogany, Rosewood
Louis Majorelle Writing Desk, France 1930's
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New York, NY
Very Unusual Majorelle Art Deco writing desk, the modernist line are a departure from the organic lines usually associated with the artist. Signed with a marquetry. 37.5X22X34 Top 29
Walnut
$1,500 / set
H 35.5 in W 16 in D 20 in
French Art Nouveau Green Flower Maple Leaf Garden Patio Dining Set - 5 Piece Set
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Art Nouveau Green Flower Maple Leaf Garden Patio Dining Set - 5 Piece Set. Listing includes (4) side chairs, (1) dining table, green painted maple leaf frames, shapely legs, o...
Iron
The Majorelle Dining Suite
By Louis Majorelle
Located in New Orleans, LA
This highly rare and important Louis Majorelle dining suite exemplifies the superb, organic designs and innovative workmanship that have made his furnishings so famous. This suite co...