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Lot Essay
Grand in scale, the present coffret, or jewel cabinet, is a masterpiece by Jules Habert-Dys – a painter, engraver, illustrator, writer, ceramist and glassmaker, with an astonishing capacity for invention. The coffret embodies the spirit of the Art Nouveau and, exquisitely crafted from precious materials (ebène de macassar, silver and enamel), represents the divine status afforded to the manufacture of objets de luxe during the Belle Époque. Habert-Dys’ genius for drawing precipitated a remarkable social trajectory which saw him rise from the most humble beginnings to the center of the artistic elite. His early studies of oriental art and the flora and fauna of the natural world, honed an appreciation for the constituent styles of Art Nouveau, whilst his abandonment of classicism and unique interpretation, positioned him as a leading exponent of le style modern.
JULES-AUGUSTE HABERT-DYS
Born in 1850 into a poverty-stricken, illiterate family, Habert-Dys’ father was nonetheless observant of his son’s talent and apprenticed him to a house painter in their native Fresnes. His genius was insuppressible and following employment decorating ceramics, a move to Paris brought illustrious work in the studio of no lesser a master than Jean-Léon Gérôme. Especially formative was the study he made for the Haviland ceramics workshop of Japanese art displayed at the 1878 Paris Exposition universelle. Haviland ceramics was run by Felix Bracquemond, who in turn introduced Habert-Dys to L’Art magazine to which he contributed some five hundred illustrations in five years. Also of considerable influence to his development was time spent at the Schopin ceramics works at Montigny-sur-Loing, where he spent much time exploring the countryside and sketching plants, birds and insects.
In the wake of a breakdown brought on by the death of his young son, Habert-Dys convalesced at Pau, financed by Baroness Nathaniel de Rothschild. Over the next few years he published albums of decorative designs for use as fans, wallpaper, jewelry, ceramics and glass in France and Germany, supplied designs for British and American firms and was commissioned to design a table service for Pillivuyt and another by Theodore Deck. In 1894 he exhibited mural decorations at the Lyons International Exhibition, for which he was awarded a Gold Medal. A year later he joined the leading art printer of Paris, Lemercier, as artistic director.
Several of his books accompanied basic designs with highly decorative Art Nouveau detailing, and at the turn of the century he increasingly devoted himself to producing works that he had previously only designed. In 1907 Habert-Dys was appointed Professor of Drawing at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs. At the same time he began experimenting with glass, producing a rare and highly collectible group of encrusted vessels with great depth of color and translucency, partly covered by surface trailings of metal. When these were first exhibited at the 1913 Salon, he was awarded a Gold Medal. He also exhibited at the Salon d’Automne, for which he was a Member of the Jury, and the Salons of the Société des Artistes Décorateurs.
COFFRET EN ÉBÈNE, ARGENT ET ÉMAIL
..le coffret, de grandes dimensions et taillé dans l'ébène, est monté en argent. Il a reçu des panneaux d'émail très bien traité. L'ensemble est riche, presque trop riche, même. Quoi qu'il en soit, cet envoi fait honneur à l'artiste consciencieux qu'est M. Habert Dys. (Art et décoration: revue mensuelle d'art moderne, Paris, July 1903, p. 227).
At the turn of the 20th century Habert-Dys collaborated with goldsmiths and other craftsman to make a small number of boxes, vases and other containers, for display at the Salons des Artistes Français in the years 1903-06. These objets d’art are the fullest manifestation of Habert-Dys’ genius; the most complete expression of his art and realization of his designs. They combine fine and rare woods with bronze, ivory, gold, horn, ebony, pearls or semi-precious gemstones, varying in the finishes with every available technique, including enameling, burnishing and acid-etching.
This coffret is one of the finest of this handful of works of art by Habert-Dys. It is exquisitely made in macassar ebony, with a fitted satinwood interior, silver by Poisson and mounted with elaborately enameled and vibrantly colored floral panels of Japanese inspiration. It was exhibited at the Paris Salon of the Société des Artistes Français in 1903 to great critical acclaim. Habert-Dys received the prestigious accolade of a Prix du Salon as one of only five recipients of a bronze medal in the section Arts Décoratifs in 1903. Writing about the exhibition of this coffret, Le Monde Artiste commends Habert-Dys’ good decorative style as exemplary of the French school: ‘[…] et le coffret, métal et émail, de M. Habert Dys. Ce dernier artiste est un décorateur de beau style décoratif, un courageux, un patient, et un sincère. L'école française lui devra beaucoup’ (Le Monde Artiste, Paris, 28 June 1903).
Fernand Poisson was a fine silversmith who had studied with the Fannière brothers before succeeding to their business and was established at 242 Rue Saint Jacques, Paris. He married Habert-Dys’ daughter and executed several silver creations designed by Habert-Dys, including a bronze and silver vase modeled in the round with three cicadas: recently sold at Rennes Enchères, Rennes, 22 June 2015, lot 174 (196,000€).
Objects by Habert-Dys are scarce and rarely appear on the international market. His work can be found in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée de Nantes, Musée de Sèvres, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Pierpoint-Morgan Collection, the Rothschild Collection and the Musée du Luxembourg.
We are grateful to the late Victor Arwas for his scholarship which contributes to this note.
JULES-AUGUSTE HABERT-DYS
Born in 1850 into a poverty-stricken, illiterate family, Habert-Dys’ father was nonetheless observant of his son’s talent and apprenticed him to a house painter in their native Fresnes. His genius was insuppressible and following employment decorating ceramics, a move to Paris brought illustrious work in the studio of no lesser a master than Jean-Léon Gérôme. Especially formative was the study he made for the Haviland ceramics workshop of Japanese art displayed at the 1878 Paris Exposition universelle. Haviland ceramics was run by Felix Bracquemond, who in turn introduced Habert-Dys to L’Art magazine to which he contributed some five hundred illustrations in five years. Also of considerable influence to his development was time spent at the Schopin ceramics works at Montigny-sur-Loing, where he spent much time exploring the countryside and sketching plants, birds and insects.
In the wake of a breakdown brought on by the death of his young son, Habert-Dys convalesced at Pau, financed by Baroness Nathaniel de Rothschild. Over the next few years he published albums of decorative designs for use as fans, wallpaper, jewelry, ceramics and glass in France and Germany, supplied designs for British and American firms and was commissioned to design a table service for Pillivuyt and another by Theodore Deck. In 1894 he exhibited mural decorations at the Lyons International Exhibition, for which he was awarded a Gold Medal. A year later he joined the leading art printer of Paris, Lemercier, as artistic director.
Several of his books accompanied basic designs with highly decorative Art Nouveau detailing, and at the turn of the century he increasingly devoted himself to producing works that he had previously only designed. In 1907 Habert-Dys was appointed Professor of Drawing at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs. At the same time he began experimenting with glass, producing a rare and highly collectible group of encrusted vessels with great depth of color and translucency, partly covered by surface trailings of metal. When these were first exhibited at the 1913 Salon, he was awarded a Gold Medal. He also exhibited at the Salon d’Automne, for which he was a Member of the Jury, and the Salons of the Société des Artistes Décorateurs.
COFFRET EN ÉBÈNE, ARGENT ET ÉMAIL
..le coffret, de grandes dimensions et taillé dans l'ébène, est monté en argent. Il a reçu des panneaux d'émail très bien traité. L'ensemble est riche, presque trop riche, même. Quoi qu'il en soit, cet envoi fait honneur à l'artiste consciencieux qu'est M. Habert Dys. (Art et décoration: revue mensuelle d'art moderne, Paris, July 1903, p. 227).
At the turn of the 20th century Habert-Dys collaborated with goldsmiths and other craftsman to make a small number of boxes, vases and other containers, for display at the Salons des Artistes Français in the years 1903-06. These objets d’art are the fullest manifestation of Habert-Dys’ genius; the most complete expression of his art and realization of his designs. They combine fine and rare woods with bronze, ivory, gold, horn, ebony, pearls or semi-precious gemstones, varying in the finishes with every available technique, including enameling, burnishing and acid-etching.
This coffret is one of the finest of this handful of works of art by Habert-Dys. It is exquisitely made in macassar ebony, with a fitted satinwood interior, silver by Poisson and mounted with elaborately enameled and vibrantly colored floral panels of Japanese inspiration. It was exhibited at the Paris Salon of the Société des Artistes Français in 1903 to great critical acclaim. Habert-Dys received the prestigious accolade of a Prix du Salon as one of only five recipients of a bronze medal in the section Arts Décoratifs in 1903. Writing about the exhibition of this coffret, Le Monde Artiste commends Habert-Dys’ good decorative style as exemplary of the French school: ‘[…] et le coffret, métal et émail, de M. Habert Dys. Ce dernier artiste est un décorateur de beau style décoratif, un courageux, un patient, et un sincère. L'école française lui devra beaucoup’ (Le Monde Artiste, Paris, 28 June 1903).
Fernand Poisson was a fine silversmith who had studied with the Fannière brothers before succeeding to their business and was established at 242 Rue Saint Jacques, Paris. He married Habert-Dys’ daughter and executed several silver creations designed by Habert-Dys, including a bronze and silver vase modeled in the round with three cicadas: recently sold at Rennes Enchères, Rennes, 22 June 2015, lot 174 (196,000€).
Objects by Habert-Dys are scarce and rarely appear on the international market. His work can be found in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée de Nantes, Musée de Sèvres, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Pierpoint-Morgan Collection, the Rothschild Collection and the Musée du Luxembourg.
We are grateful to the late Victor Arwas for his scholarship which contributes to this note.