CLÉMENT ROUSSEAU (1872-1950)

Although he then became an experienced furniture designer, Clement Rousseau’s initial formation was made in the sculpture domain, learning from the academic Léon Morice who taught at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts of Angers. Rousseau chose to turn to decorative arts rather late, in 1912. Nevertheless, he developed a very personal conception of the furniture creation ; his pieces were characterized by colourful associations of exotic woods and precious materials – ivory, leather, shagreen… – completing delicate and wise marquetries, echoes of the great styles of the 18th and the 19th centuries which he never ceased to nourish his creation from. 

From 1920, Rousseau exhibited at the Salon des Artistes français, which helped to the renown of his talent. In 1925, he was part of the personalities chosen by Jacques Doucet to conceive and design his famous studio in Neuilly ; at this occasion, he realized a little table for the couturier. 

Rare and sophisticated, Rousseau’s creations are still today only known through a limited corpus, all the more precious that it is constituted by unique pieces, real masterpieces thanks to their remarquable execution quality.