, was a Swiss designer and decorator of the interwar period.
Biography
Born in a family of bankers, Ernest Boiceau received training in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
, then studied drawing, painting and architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. From 1900 to 1910, he traveled and painted landscapes and portraits.
Starting in the 1910s, Boiceau dedicated himself to
embroidery
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...
,
passementerie
Passementerie (, ) or passementarie is the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings (in French, ) of applied braid, gold or silver cord, embroidery, colored silk, or beads for clothing or furnishings.
Styles of passementerie include the tas ...
and upholstery in his workshop, rue des Moulins in Paris, working initially for fashion houses and theatre costume designers. In 1912 he collaborated with John Jacobson on a
tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads ma ...
exhibited at the Galliera museum in Paris. At the beginning of the
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
, in 1914, he organised a branch of the Swiss committee to help Belgian refugees.
In 1920, he opened a boutique on the
Avenue de l'Opéra
The Avenue de l'Opéra was created from 1864 to 1879 as part of Haussmann's renovation of Paris. It is situated in the center of the city, running northwest from the Louvre to the Palais Garnier, the primary opera house of Paris (until the openin ...
, by that time, his exquisitely refined work as an embroiderer had become renowned. He supplied embroidered, beaded or sequined theatrical costumes for various venues like the
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
, the
Comédie-Française
The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...
' theater and Parisian revues such as the
Folies Bergère
The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trév ...
or
Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Ol ...
. He also worked for master couturiers like
Edward Molyneux
Edward Henry Molyneux () (5 September 1891 – 23 March 1974) was a leading British fashion designer whose salon in Paris was in operation from 1919 until 1950. He was characterised as a modernist designer who played with the refinements of co ...
or Worth.
In 1924, he started creating objects and furniture in stately neoclassical style, and completed his first tapestry. In 1928, he opened a new office dedicated to
interior decoration
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordin ...
on rue Pierre Charron in Paris.Galerie Willy Huybrecht willy-huybrechts.com /ref>
He patented the Point de Cornely, an embroidery stitch derived from Emile Cornely's research in 1865, and began to apply this technique to his own creations in 1924–1925. An article published in ''L'Art vivant'' in 1927 praised this technique enlivening artworks' surfaces.
His participation as a decorator in the
Salon d'Automne
The Salon d'Automne (; en, Autumn Salon), or Société du Salon d'automne, is an art exhibition held annually in Paris, France. Since 2011, it is held on the Champs-Élysées, between the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, in mid-October. The f ...
in 1928 and 1929 brought him national and international recognition.
Until 1935, he created objects, lighting, furniture made of rare wood species such as macassar, amaranth,
sycamore
Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the ancient Greek ' (''sūkomoros'') meaning "fig-mulberry".
Species of trees known as sycamore:
* ''Acer pseudoplata ...
ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals i ...
or
ebony
Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...
inlays, as well as sumptuous carpets woven and embellished with Point de Cornely.
Boiceau became very sought after, he then opened another shop on Avenue Matignon and decided to devote himself entirely to decoration. He deeded the embroidery workshop to his employees, who in turn created an embroidery and fashion accessories company named ''Felix and company''.
He worked with designers and architects in vogue at the time such as Elsie de Wolfe, David Adler and his sister Frances Adler Elkins among others, offering his own designs created in rich and varied materials including colored glass, light colored leather and bronze.
Among Boiceau's distinguished clients were Princess Bibesco, B. Boutet de Monvel,
Louis Cartier
Cartier International SNC, or simply Cartier (; ), is a French high-end luxury goods conglomerate that designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells jewellery, leather goods, and watches. Founded by Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) in Paris ...
Jean Tharaud
Jean Tharaud (9 May 1877 – 8 April 1952) was a French writer.
Tharaud was born in Saint-Junien, Haute-Vienne. As a young man, he had been secretary to Maurice Barrès. He wrote books with his brother, Jérôme Tharaud, for over 50 years. In ...
,
Louise de Vilmorin
Louise or Luise may refer to:
* Louise (given name)
Arts Songs
* "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005
* "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984
* "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013
* "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929
*"Louise", by Clan of ...
, Mr. Wendel and Jean-Charles Worth.
Boiceau closed his business at the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, and died in the
Vallée de Chevreuse
Vallée de Chevreuse (Chevreuse Valley) is the valley of the Yvette River in the Yvelines and Essonne departments.
It encompasses the communes around Chevreuse ( Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, Choisel, Dampierre, etc.) within the Parc naturel r ...
(
Essonne
Essonne () is a department of France in the southern Île-de-France region. It is named after the river Essonne. In 2019, it had a population of 1,301,659 across 194 communes.Art Institute of Chicago : 1920/25 wall hanging.
*
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is a design museum housed within the Andrew Carnegie Mansion in Manhattan, New York City, along the Upper East Side's Museum Mile (New York City), Museum Mile. It is one of 19 museums that fall under the ...
.
Bibliography
* E Boiceau : London, Pavilion of Art & Design, Galerie Willy Huybrechts, October 13 – 17, 2010, Paris : Galerie Willy Huybrechts, 2010
* Philippe Julian, ''Les années'20 revues dans les années'70 chez Yves Saint Laurent'', id., p. 105.
* Joan Juliet Buck, ''Chez Yves Saint Laurent'', id. p. 96–97, p. 98–99.
* John Richardson, ''The Art of Yves Saint Laurent'', id., p. 170–171, p. 172–173.
* Laurence Benaïm, Yves Saint Laurent, id17.
* Ernest Boiceau, décorateur-créateur, catalogue d'exposition, Galerie Eric Philippe, Paris, 198218.Galerie Eric Philipp ericphilippe.com /ref>