Grand Hôtel de Tours, France
Jean-Claude Brugnot
De Lorenzo, New York
Robin Roberts, Bedford, New York
Christie’s New York, December 18, 2007, lot 415
DeLorenzo, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner

For the model executed with a metal base:
Léon Deshairs, "Le XIV^e Salon des Artistes Décorateurs," Art et Decoration, January 1924, p. 179
Henri Clouzot, "En marge de l'art appliqué moderne", L'Amour de l'Art, April 1924, p. 116
Yvanohé Rambosson, "Le Salon des décorateurs", L'Amour de l'Art, April 1924, p. 193
Edmond Fleg, "Nos Décorateurs, Pierre Chareau", Les Arts de la Maison, Winter 1924, pl. II
Léon Deshairs, L'Art Décoratif Français 1918-1925, Paris, 1926, p. 14
Pierre Olmer, Le Mobilier Français d'Aujourd'hui (1910-1925), Paris, 1926, pl. XXXII
Pierre Kjellberg, Art Deco: Les Maitres du Mobilier, Paris, 1981, p. 43
Alastair Duncan, Art Deco Furniture, London, 1984, pl. 5
Marc Vellay and Kenneth Frampton, Pierre Chareau, Architecte-meublier, Paris, 1984, pp. 93 and 194
Pierre Chareau, architecte, un art d'intérieur, exh. cat., Centre Pompidou, November 3, 1993-January 17, 1994, Paris, pp. 15, 18 and 155
Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design, exh. cat., The Jewish Museum, November 4, 2016-March 26, 2017, New York, pp. 29, 63, 70 and 138

For the model executed with a wood base:
Marc Vellay and Kenneth Frampton, Pierre Chareau, Architecte-meublier, Paris, 1984, p. 195
Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design, exh. cat., The Jewish Museum, November 4, 2016-March 26, 2017, New York, pp. 10 and 138 (for a table lamp versions of the model) and 139

Overall in very good condition. When viewed in person, the base displays a soft double concave shape which enhances the sculptural aspect of the lamp. The wood surfaces have been sensitively revarnished and present with a few light surface scratches, minor abrasions and a few scattered and minor discolorations consistent with age and gentle handling. The bottom perimeter of the base with a few minor old and sensitively undertaken restorations, including a small vertical hairline crack which has been stabilized, approximately 3 inches long. The metal is in good condition with minor bending to the arms consistent with use, a few light surface scratches and rubbing to the patina. The screws have been replaced. The alabaster shows sign of age and integrity and is possibly original. The alabaster appears to have been polished at some point in the history of the piece and presents with a few surface scratches, minor edge abrasions and light surface soiling consistent with age and gentle handling. One of the panels with a vertical crack throughout the surface which has been sensitively restored and is not visually distracting. The electrical socket has been replaced at some point in the history of the lamp and a bolt added. The lamp is fitted with a US plug. An exceedingly rare work by Chareau, this sculptural lamp epitomizes the designer's style, combining the warmth of the mahogany, simple lines of the metal structure and the geometric shapes of the alabaster. When illuminated, the alabaster remits a soft warm glow.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1925, critic Louis Charles Watelin wrote: “Pierre Chareau is always looking for a volume that will correspond to a new sensibility. He is a bold character and a leader."  Indeed, Chareau's designs reveal his distinct and pioneering conception of objects, which was emboldened by his background in architecture and his passion for the revolutionary artworks of his contemporaries.  A friend of artists such as Joan Miró and Jacques Lipchitz, Chareau also was an art collector himself, owning works by Picasso, Gris and Mondrian, whose vision of space had a profound influence on this own approach.  Chareau’s oeuvre reflects the formal and plastic influences of the avant-garde artists of his time while drawing on a tradition of craftsmanship.

At the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs in 1924, Chareau presented the decoration of "The reception and intimacy for a modern apartment," featuring works by Eileen Gray, Pierre Legrain and Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.  It was for this commission that he conceived his most iconic piece of lighting: the “Religieuse,” named for the pairing of the dark metal base with an alabaster lampshade, much like the dark dress and white "cornette" worn by nuns.

In 1925, in the Pavillion de la Société des Artistes Décorateurs, Pierre Chareau placed a mahogany version of the Religieuse in the parlor of the “Ambassade Française.” In 1926, his friend Paul Bernheim commissioned Chareau to design the interiors of the Grand Hôtel de Tours, in France. The Grand Hôtel de Tours was the artist’s first large-scale commission beyond one-family apartments.  This project allowed him to apply his unique artistic vocabulary to an entire interior and to achieve overall harmony and visual rhythm through objects with an implicit sense of mobility.

The Religieuse design is one of the finest examples of Chareau's ingenuity, creative spirit, and experimental approach with regard to materals.  Beginning in 1923, he would incorporate more and more metal in his designs, collaborating with metalworker Louis Dalbet.  He started with a few small items such as jardinières and radiator covers, but he soon extended his experimentation to lighting.  When metal became integrated within the design, it opened up new possibilities for other materials.  Chareau would find out through these trials that the combination of mahogany, alabaster and patinated metal produces a fabulous contrast between the alabaster's angularity, the graphic quality of the black metal edges, and curvature of the base. The richness of the wood complements beautifully the soft surface of the alabaster, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.