"Drouant" Side Chair
Designer Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann French
Not on view
Ruhlmann designed this chair for the fashionable Drouant restaurant in Paris. The subtle elegance of the design, with its gracious curves, counter-curves, tapering, and swelling, makes it representative of all of Ruhlmann’s work. The Met bought this example from the designer in 1925. Its original silk damask upholstery was designed by Ruhlmann and made by a weaver in Lyon. Unfortunately, the silk was so fine that it disintegrated over time, perhaps intensified by the use of artificial dyes. The current fabric is a digitally printed reproduction that convincingly evokes the colors and texture of the original.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.