Jump to content

Maxime Old

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maxime Old
Maxime Old portrait
Fonds documentaire Maxime Old
Born(1910-12-13)December 13, 1910
Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, France
DiedNovember 16, 1991(1991-11-16) (aged 80)
Paris, France
Resting place
Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, France
Educationécole Boulle
Known forInterior Architecture, Art Furniture Design
Notable workSS France (1961) (First class lounge), Brussels World's Fair, (1958, Hotel Pavillon de France), 1939 New York World's Fair (Pavillon de France), ...
StyleArt Deco, Modern architecture
MovementBauhaus, Société des artistes décorateurs, The French Union of Modern Artists
SpouseIsabelle Duchesne
AwardsLegion of Honour
1954 Chevalier
, French Academy of Arts and Letters
1965 Chevalier
PatronsÉmile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Websitewww.maximeold.com/en/maxime-old-reference-site/

Maxime Old (1910–1991) was a French interior architect and furniture designer. He is known for his numerous works of art, and as forerunner of the transition from the style of the 1930's to modern design.[1] Yves Badetz, chief curator at the Orsay Museum, in charge of decorative arts, confesses that “The emotions you feel when looking at Maxime Old’s creations are intense. His thoughtful esthetics freely associates the values of the rational of Bauhaus with Ruhlmann's demand for perfection. His talent was to design the refined outlines anticipating the third millennium."[2]

Biography

[edit]

Family History

[edit]

Maxime Old has been born in Maisons-Alfort (Val-de-Marne) in 1910. He came from a long line of master cabinetmakers. His father, Louis Old is the son of Jean Léonard (Johann Leonhard) Old, Germany originated, master cabinetmaker. Louis marries Maximillienne, daughter of Joseph (Giuseppe) Carosi, master cabinetmaker, originated from Italy. Working as a team, they decided to fuse the two workshops together to make 37 Rue Chanzy Paris, a workshop that Louis Old would then manage himself. With the help of his spouse and approximately 15 employees at the time, Louis Old realised furniture in order to be sold to furniture stores, as well as individuals.[1]

Education

[edit]

After studying four years at l’Ecole Boulle, Maxime Old graduated top of the year and transferred directly to Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann's design team, where he collaborated until the end in 1934. These two learning experiences gave him a different perspective, installed a certain demanding nature in him, new techniques, and knowledge, that would then help him transform the family business into a world-renowned decorative art name.[1]

Initial works and recognition

[edit]

In 1934, when J.E. Rulhman died, his company is closed by his order. His customers in contact with Maxime asked him to continue to work for them. Maxime went back to his family cabinetmaker workshop and turned it around to satisfy this demanding private customer base. Maxime Old reportedly developed an elegant, modern style that fit with the demanding requests of his clientele: Industries, politicians, lawyers, doctors and similar professions.[3][1] He designed and produced art furniture embedded in interior architecture innovative master plans.[4]

He is particularly known for his elegant transformative pieces of furniture. He has been said to be the "sofabed inventor"[5][6][7]

In 1939, Maxime Old exhibited his works at the International Exhibition New-York World's Fair.[8]

Until the 1960s, he participated in all of the « Artistes Decorateurs »[9] and "Salons des Arts Ménagers"[10] exhibitions, where many of his art pieces were awarded. This success led to the grand opening of his gallery on Avenue Hoche in Paris, where he exhibited his art and helped young prodigies be recognized by the art world.

Several schools, such as the "Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Decoratifs" requested his teaching in art furniture design, he headed the decorative architecture Ph.D of the school.[1]

Institutional works

[edit]

More and more, simultaneously to his production for private customers, Maxime Old developed his interior architect activity focused on institutional large customers: prestigious ocean liners such as the "SS France (1961)", embassies, famous hotels, large company headquarters, business banks, airports, city halls[11] and even presidential palaces, both in France and in other countries.

For these large projects he provides both the overall interior master plan and the all individual pieces of furniture of his own design. He experiences innovative techniques and new materials beside traditional ones to achieve creative functional designs. The professional press points out the consistency of these major work of art.

Maxime was awarded Chevalier of the French Academy of Arts and Letters, the equivalent to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.[when?]

In 1954, he was awarded Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

In 1958, he became the head of the French hotel trade pavilion interior design for the Universal Exhibition "Brussels World's Fair".[12] His work was awarded "Grand Prix".[1]

Significant works

[edit]

Shows & Events

[edit]

International Exhibition 1939 : New-York World's Fair[8]

International Exhibition 1958 : Brussels World's Fair[12]

From the 30s to the 60s, Old was present in almost every single « Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, » the most famous art furniture exhibit in France at this time.[9]

From the 50s to the 60s, Salon des Arts Ménagers, modern & functional housing exhibition in Paris[10]

Ocean liners

[edit]

SS Atlantique,[13] SS La Marseillaise, SS Île-de-France,[14] SS Liberté,[15] SS Antilles, SS Flandre, SS Ville de Marseille, SS Ville de Tunis, SS France (1961), SS Ancerville[16]

Embassies and Palaces

[edit]

Foreign Office France, French embassies in : Oslo (Norway), La Haye (Netherlands),[17] Ottawa (Canada), Ghana, Helsinki (Finland)

President H. Bourguiba Palace (Tunisia), Mohammed V of Morocco Palace (Morocco)

Banks & Companies headquarters

[edit]

Société des Forges Le Creusot,[18] Framatome, Régie Autonome des Pétroles, Compagnie Française du Raffinage, Caisse Centrale du Crédit Immobilier et Commercial, Banque de l'Union Européenne[19]

Hotels

[edit]

Marhaba Hotel in Casablanca (Morocco),[20][21] El Aurassi à Alger (Algeria), Le Fort Royal à Deshaies (Guadeloupe), Frantel Paris-Orly

Other major projects

[edit]

Marseille air-port (1961),[22] Paris-Orsay Science University, the Hôtel de Ville in Rouen.[11]

Bibliography

[edit]

Yves Badetz, Maxime Old Architecte-Décorateur, Editions Norma, 2000 (ISBN 2909283488), read on line

Elisabeth Védrenne, Les 50 glorieuses de Maxime Old, Le journal des Arts.fr - l'Oeil, 2000, preview on line

Lorraine Tissier-Rebour, Art history master thesis : Maxime Old : Une inventivité et un savoir-faire à la rencontre de la modernité, Paris-Sorbonne University, 2014, read on line

Armelle Bouchet-Mazas, Le Paquebot France, Editions Norma 2006, preview on line

René Chavance, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Art et décoration 1937, preview on line

Pierre Kjellberg, Le mobilier du XX siècle, Dictionnaire des créateurs, Editions de l'Amateur, 1994, preview on line

Notes and references

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Yves., Badetz (2000). Maxime Old : architecte-décorateur. Gastou, Yves. Paris: Norma éd. ISBN 2909283488. OCLC 313645101.
  2. ↑ Elisabeth, Védrenne (May 2000). "Les 50 glorieuses de Maxime Old". Le Journal des Arts - l'Oeil.
  3. ↑ "La Tradition du meuble français". Élites Françaises: 25–28. Jun 1945.
  4. ↑ "OLD Maxime". The Red List.
  5. ↑ "Le Métier et l'invention dans les intérieurs de Maxime Old". Art et Décoration: 1–13. 1948.
  6. ↑ "Tables à transformations". Art et Décoration: 21–24. January 1956.
  7. ↑ B.J.L. (November 1956). "Une chambre à transformation". Art et Décoration: 16–17.
  8. 1 2 "Le Pavillon français à l'Exposition internationale de New York". Plaisir de France. July 1939.
  9. 1 2 "À propos du 38e Salon des artistes décorateurs". La Maison française: 23–32. July 1949.
  10. 1 2 "Ensembles modernes au Salon des arts ménagers". Art et Décoration: 1–10. 1951.
  11. 1 2 STECH, ADAM (9 May 2017). "Few of Maxime Old's glorious interiors remain, save two well-preserved 1960s masterpieces". Wallpaper part of the Time Inc. UK network.
  12. 1 2 "Bruxelles 58, Maxime Old décore l'hôtel du Pavillon de France". Le Professionnel du Meuble et de l'Ameublement: 2. April 1958.
  13. ↑ "Le Paquebot L'Atlantique et les beaux métiers". Art et Décoration. November 1931.
  14. ↑ "Le Paquebot Île-de-France et son aménagement". Mobilier et Décoration: 29–40. October 1949.
  15. ↑ LAFONT, A. (October 1950). "La Transformation du paquebot Liberté". Journal de la Marine marchande et de la navigation aérienne.
  16. ↑ MAZELLIER, Yves (May 1962). "Un navire intelligent Ancerville". L'Antenne.
  17. ↑ "Slotbeschouwing over Maxime Old". Dagblad Scheepvaart. July 1955.
  18. ↑ "L'Ordonnance d'un cabinet directorial par Maxime Old". Mobilier et Décoration: 1–4. 1953.
  19. ↑ "Du XVIIIe au siècle, l'architecture du siège de la Banque de l'union européenne industrielle et financière". Bureaux D Aujourd'hui. June–July 1968.
  20. ↑ "Maxime Old, l'hôtel Marhaba à Casablanca". Mobilier et Décoration: 1–5. 1955.
  21. ↑ "L'Hôtel Marhaba à Casablanca". Techniques et Architecture: 74. 1956.
  22. ↑ P.R. (June 1961). "L'Inauguration de l'aérogare de Marseille-Marignane". Le Provençal: 3.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maxime_Old&oldid=1376220435"