CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953) – NANCY SCHOOL
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Estimate €300 - €500

Description

CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953) – NANCY SCHOOL A hand-held mirror with a rounded top; the silver frame is decorated with a bas-relief of cockchafers and lizards amongst flowering branches. The reverse is made of hammered metal in the style of copper-gilt work and chiselled with a radiating foliage design. The handle is finished with two blue triangular cabochons. Signed and dated ‘J. Cayette 11’ on one side (signs of wear) Gross weight: 1058 g Height: 45 cm x Width: 17.7 cm A sculptor, metalworker, bronze caster, cabinetmaker, modeller and interior designer, Jules Cayette was born in 1882 to a father from Lorraine who had taken refuge in Paris. The family returned to Nancy in 1888. In 1896, he enrolled for the first time at the Municipal and Regional School of Fine Arts in Nancy. He left the school in 1899 and began an apprenticeship with Férez, a woodcarver and joiner from Nancy. In 1900, he re-enrolled at the School of Fine Arts whilst continuing his apprenticeship with Schwartz. He left the school for good in 1902. During this apprenticeship, he was taught by Victor Prouvé and Eugène Vallin. In 1904, he joined Jacques Grüber’s studio as an assistant, where he refined his style. The studio was adjacent to Vallin’s at the time, which explains the clear influence the latter had on Cayette’s early works. In 1910, Jules Cayette set up his own business. From 1912 onwards, he exhibited regularly at the Société Lorraine des Amis des Arts. It was during this period that he met his principal patron, Saint-Just Péquart (1881–1944). The 1920s were the heyday of the workshops, which employed a dozen workers. The range of products was very varied: from bronze ashtrays to light fittings (always featuring Daum glasswork), as well as religious and commercial furniture. He then underwent a major stylistic shift in a very short space of time, moving away from the Art Nouveau style towards a transitional style, before fully embracing the Art Deco style and becoming a pioneer of the movement in Nancy from 1926–28 onwards. The business officially ceased trading following the declaration of bankruptcy on 8 August. Around 1941–1943, Jules Cayette moved to 113bis Rue du Maréchal Oudinot. He continued to design and produce work through the workshops of former colleagues until his death in Nancy in 1953. Jules Cayette was, like Victor Prouvé (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Prouv%C3%A9), a multi-talented artist, who explored all artistic disciplines: jewellery, stoneware, engraving, sculpture, painting (although no paintings are currently known to exist), ironwork, bronzes, wood, … *Bibliography: Étienne Martin, “Jules Cayette, 1882–1953, Ateliers d’Art à Nancy”, Nancy, Edition MJC Pichon, 2008, 112 pp. Étienne Martin, “Jules Cayette, 1882–1953, Art Creator in Nancy”, Metz, Editions Serpenoise, 2011, 144 pp. (A richly illustrated volume, updated to reflect the latest discoveries).

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About the sale ‘Paintings – Furniture – Works of Art’ Auction – Saturday 21 November 2026

Auction location

Auction time 11/21/2026 at 2:00 PM

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CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953) – NANCY SCHOOL See original version (French)

CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953) – NANCY SCHOOL
See original version (French)