The Societé des artistes décorateurs (SAD, Society of Decorative Artists) was a French society of designers of furniture, interiors and decorative arts that was active from 1901 until the 2000s. It sponsored an annual Salon des artistes décorateurs in which its members could display their new work.

History

Some historians trace

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

's roots to the Universal Exposition of 1900. After this show a group of artists established an informal collective known as ''La Société des artistes décorateurs'' to promote French crafts. Among them were

Hector Guimard Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...

Eugène Grasset Eugène Samuel Grasset (; 25 May 1845 – 23 October 1917) was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design. Biography ...

, Raoul Lachenal,

Paul Bellot Paul Louis Denis Bellot (7 June 1876 in Paris – 5 July 1944 in Montreal) was a French monk and modern architect. Biography He became an architect in 1900 having studied at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1902 he became a monk of Order of Sai ...

, Maurice Dufrêne and Émile Decoeur. These artists are said to have influenced the principles of Art Deco. The ''Société des artistes décorateurs'' (SAD) was founded in 1901 in response to increasing interest in France in fine and applied arts. It was aimed to satisfy the demand of the prosperous urban elite for high-quality French craftsmanship and cabinetmaking. The society's salons were the first official means of encouraging new standards for design and production in France.

Francis Jourdain Francis Jourdain (2 November 1876 – 31 December 1958) was a French painter, furniture maker, interior designer, maker of ceramics, and other decorative arts, and a left-wing political activist. Early years Francis Jourdain was born on 2 Nove ...

, son of the architect

Frantz Jourdain Frantz Jourdain (; 3 October 1847 – 22 August 1935) was a Belgian architect and author. He is best known for La Samaritaine, an Art Nouveau department store built in the 1st arrondissement of Paris in three stages between 1904 and 1928. He was r ...

, was a regular exhibitor from 1913–28 at the '' Salon d'Automne'' and the SAD. Jourdain published many articles on modern art and aesthetics in which he attacked the ostentatious luxury that was typical of contemporary French design. His own designs were simple, with straightforward construction. In 1912 the French government decided to sponsor an international exhibition of decorative arts to highlight French design excellence, to be held in 1915. The plans were disrupted by

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

(1914–18) and the exhibition was not held until 1925. At the 1925 ''Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes'' (

International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts () was a specialized exhibition held in Paris, France, from April 29 (the day after it was inaugurated in a private ceremony by the President of France) to November 8, 1925 (O ...

) Jourdain's "Physical Culture Room", unlike other exhibits, did not emphasize luxury living. His design used smooth wood paneling on the walls and ceilings that resembled riveted sheets of metal. By the 1950s the society's salons were one of the main places for young designers to exhibit their new work. In the period after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(1939–45) there was increased interest in using new methods and materials for mass production of furniture. Manufacturers of materials such as formica, plywood, aluminum, and steel sponsored the salons. Designers who exhibited their experimental work in this period included Pierre Guariche,

Joseph André Motte Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

, René Jean Caillette,

Jean Prouvé Jean Prouvé (; 8 April 1901 – 23 March 1984) was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer. Le Corbusier designated Prouvé a constructeur, blending architecture and engineering. Prouvé's main achievement was transferring m ...

Charlotte Perriand Charlotte Perriand (; 24 October 1903 – 27 October 1999) was a French architect and designer. Her work aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society. In her article "L'Art de Vivre" ...

, Antoine Philippon and

Jacqueline Lecoq Jacqueline Lecoq (born 1932) is a French designer who collaborated for many years with Antoine Philippon. They produced furniture designs that were modern, simple and minimalist, often using large glass plates as both surfaces and supports. Life ...

. The salons also showed decorate textile and ceramic art.

Founders and presidents

Founding members were

René Guilleré René Guilleré (16 August 1878 – 24 November 1931) was a French lawyer who founded the ''Ateliers Primavera'', which made decorative art objects. Life René Guilleré was born in 1878. He became a lawyer. He was a lover of art and music, a co ...

, Eugène Gaillard,

, Maurice Dufrêne and Paul Follot. Presidents of the SAD: *1903–04: Guillaume Dubufe *1905–10: Émile Séraphin Vernier *1911:

*1912: Henri Marcel *1913–23: Paul Vitry *1923: Maurice Bokanowski *1933:

André Tardieu André Pierre Gabriel Amédée Tardieu (; 22 September 1876 – 15 September 1945) was three times Prime Minister of France (3 November 1929 – 17 February 1930; 2 March – 4 December 1930; 20 February – 10 May 1932) and a dominant figure of ...

*1939: Louis Süe *1940–42:

Auguste Perret Auguste Perret (12 February 1874 – 25 February 1954) was a French architect and a pioneer of the architectural use of reinforced concrete. His major works include the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the first Art Deco building in Paris; the C ...

*1943–45: André Domin *1945–47:

René Gabriel René Gabriel (14 September 1899 – 30 October 1950) was a French decorative artist and designer who specialized in furniture series (''meuble de série''). He had a clean, logical style that inspired many of the new designers in the years after W ...

*1948–49:

Jacques Adnet Jacques Adnet (20 April 1900 – 29 October 1984) was a French art deco modernist designer, architect and interior designer. He was known for his furniture designs in leather. Education An icon of luxurious French Modernism, Jacques Adnet ...

*1950–53: Raymond Subes *1954–57: André Renou *1958–61: Etienne-Henri Martin *1966–68:

Joseph-André Motte Joseph-André Motte (6 January 1925 – 1 June 2013) was a French furniture designer and interior designer and ranks among the most influential and innovative figures of post-war French design. Joseph-André Motte was born in Saint-Bonnet-en- ...

*1974–77: Jean Louis Berthet *1980–2008: Jean-Pierre Khalifa

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Artistes decorateurs, societe des 1901 establishments in France Decorative arts 1901 in art 2000s disestablishments in France