Gallery Marcelpoil : The Gallery

Recherche / Search

THE GALLERY

The Alain Marcelpoil Gallery specialises in furniture and objets d'art from the Art Deco period (1920-1930), focusing on the work of André Sornay and Claudius Linossier.

The gallery is a showcase for some of André Sornay's most exceptional pre- and post-war creations. The work of other artists from Lyon and the UAM (Union of Modern Artists) is also presented regularly at themed events.

ALAIN MARCELPOIL

Alain Marcelpoil launched his gallery on the 7th June 2006 with an exhibition of a number of creations by the cabinetmaker and interior designer André Sornay. The items exhibited summed up three main characteristics of the latter's work: attentiveness to geometrical form, elegance and practicality. Purity of line, harmony of proportion and the rational use of space were primordial for Sornay, who combined the use of metal, lacquer and wood.

While promoting André Sornay's work over the last fifteen years, Alain Marcelpoil has also explored that of other artists. Originally an Art Nouveau enthusiast, he turned to Art Deco in the 1980s, encouraged by informed and passionate collectors. Born in Lyon, Alain Marcelpoil took particular interest in twentieth century artists from that region. This lead to his discovery of André Sornay's modern, innovative and very particular creations. André Sornay's 'cloutage' technique enabled him, for example, to propose unique works of art at modest prices; a clever way of democratising art that evokes the principles adhered to by the UAM (Union of Modern Artists).

André Sornay is now recognised as an important and very avant-garde creator, and his work is regularly in the foreground at international events including the following: the Salon du Collectionneur, the Pavilion des Arts et du Design and the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris, the BRAFA in Belgium, the Biennale de Monaco, Design Art London, and the International Art and Design Fair in New York. Alain Marcelpoil – a member of the Compagnie Nationales des Experts and the Syndicat Nationale des Antiquaires – takes part in all these events.

Salon du collectionneur 2007

ANDRÉ SORNAY

		André Sornay (1902-2000) attended the École des beaux-arts (fine art school) in Lyon before taking over the family business following his father's death in 1919. He completely revolutionised the company's production line, moving away from period furniture to create resolutely modern pieces. Influenced by Bauhaus and by the Stijl movement, which were both marked by the desire to synthesize art and architecture, Sornay belonged to a new generation of architects, artists and decorators who wanted to create new forms that were suited to modern life. The UAM (Union of Modern Artists) counted a number of avant-garde artists among its members, including Pierre Chareau, Francis Jourdain, Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand, all eager to break away from tradition and to democratise art. André Sornay's creations are characterised by pure geometric lines, harmonious proportions and great practicality. The materials he used reflect the traditional and the modern; they include precious woods, permatex, rubber, Duco lacquer and metal. The clarity of his vision regarding the use of space prompted him to become an interior designer for a number of his local clients. André Sornay registered his first patent in 1932 during the depression. This concerned a new assembly technique he had developed: cloutage. This process involved attaching veneered panels onto a structure using small nails (clous). The alignment of these nails became both an element of decoration and a trademark. This patent led to the manufacture of limited series of furniture that remained financially accessible. Other patents followed after World War II, including a patent for the Sornay rod (tigette), a 'combinable and removable part for the furniture and construction trades', in 1953. André Sornay mainly exhibited his work at the autumn art fairs in Lyon although he did take part in two Parisian exhibitions. In 1925, at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs Industriels et Modernes his work was not fully understood. Many visitors were still drawn to more traditional artists such as Ruhlmann, Jallot, Sûe and Mare. Twelve years later, however, he was awarded the bronze medal for his personal study at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne. Both form and technique became increasingly normalised in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period André Sornay often worked for local authorities, and his children gradually took control of the business.

>> French