Philippe Wolfers and I. de Rudder Silver Centerpiece Le Maraudeur 1906

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About the Item

Philippe WOLFERS (1858-1929) Isidore de RUDDER (1855-1943) Centerpiece "Le Maraudeur" Brussels 1906 Silver UNIQUE PIECE Literature : Wolfers, Les Magasins, 1906 (see attached photo of the Wolfers shop in Brussels) From 1885 onwards the Wolfers company relied on the Brussels sculptor Isidore de Rudder for their designs in the silver workshop. He played an important part in the artistic development of the company. Together with his former master de Rudder, with whom he began cooperating in 1885, Philippe Wolfers drew numerous designs for silver tableware with putti. Because of the playful figurines climbing, playing or sitting and standing on the objects, the creations in this series are appropriately called ‘Le Maraudeur’, meaning ‘poacher’. Although it is not clear how long the cooperation between Isidore de Rudder and Philippe Wolfers lasted, it is obvious that most objects were realised in the time span between 1885 and 1895. This centrepiece was a gift and it carries the engravement “A Raymond Lehodey, Odessa, Kiew, Saratoff. Mutuelle 14 Mai 1907”. Even though it seems unlikely that an object of this kind should have been realised ten years after the assumed period of cooperation between de Rudder and Wolfers, there are strong arguments for me to show that this piece was indeed created in the year 1907. First of all, the neo-Louis XVI style. This style is not in line with the other objects of the Maraudeur-series. In the years 1885-1895 the wealthy middle classes were very keen on tableware in lavishly putti-decorated neo-Louis XV style, and Philippe Wolfers mainly mixed japonistic with neo-rococo influences. Only as from 1905, and until around 1914 were most of the objects of the new Wolfers collections carried out in neo-Louis XVI style. This is a first match with the date engraved on the table centre piece. Then there is the hunting theme. It does not bear any resemblance with the other objects from the Maraudeur series either. In the other Maraudeur designs we see predominantly naturalistic elements like shells and flowers, or animals like snails, snakes and insects. My third argument is to do with the decorative element in the middle of the centrepiece, where a putti is taking pains trying to catch a swan with spread wings. Although the swan is an important theme in Philippe Wolfers’ oeuvre, it is only as from 1897 that it features regularly – 1897 being the year he presented his monumental work ‘Caresse du cygne’. Moreover, from a plastic point of view, the scene with the swan on the front and the back of the table centre piece reveals a lot of sculptural features that are similar to the ‘Caresse du cygne’. Did the collaboration ‘Wolfers/Isidore de Rudder’ last longer than was admitted until now ? The fact that Philippe Wolfers sent his son Marcel to Isidore de Rudder to be apprenticed, notwithstanding his previous training at the Royal Academy of Arts in Brussels, is a clear indication of Wolfers’ respect and gratitude towards de Rudder. Hence it is not unimaginable that – bearing in mind their very close professional and private relationship – Philippe Wolfers at a later stage could still rely on Isidore de Rudder for a project like this. All these arguments allow me to conclude that this centrepiece in Louis XVI style was made to order in about 1906, and that it was a creation by the perfect ‘Philippe Wolfers /Isidore de Rudder’-tandem. Until today little is known about Mr Raymond Lehodey, to whom this prestigious present was offered. We do know that he held the office of ‘director general’ of the financial group ‘La Société Générale Belge d’Entreprises Electriques’ (S.G.B.E.E.). This powerful group had interests mainly in the tramway- and rail business spread over the whole world, among which the ‘Odessa-Kiev-Saratov’ line in Russia. This goes to explain the inscription on the centrepiece. Finally, I maintain that this monumental showpiece takes a very special place in the oeuvre of Philippe Wolfers because of its outstanding finishing touch and ‘grandeur’ on the one hand, and because of its theme, namely hunting, on the other. These elements allow me to establish that this object was made to order and that it is unique in its kind.

Metal:
Silver
Weight:
6300 g
Dimensions:
Height: 5.12 in (130 mm)Width: 23.63 in (600 mm)Depth: 15.75 in (400 mm)
Style:
Art Nouveau
Place of Origin:
Belgium
Period:
1900-190920th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1906
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brussels, BE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1072389222