Important Bed, circa 1925

Amongst those of the Société des Artistes Décorateurs who collaborated on the Ambassade Française at the Paris 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, André Groult’s Chambre de Madame was unparalleled in precision, technique, and sumptuous materiality. Known for his refined designs, executed in rich materials through traditional craftsmanship; the oeuvre of André Groult embodies the convergence of luxury and modern aesthetics, which captivated both decorators and their patrons in an era of rapid modernization. André Groult's 1925 Important Bed, an adapted version of the Chambre de Madame bed in a shimmering green shagreen (sharkskin), elaborated on his defining Paris Exposition interior; where the ultra-luxurious materials were refined down to their essential nature.
For his Chambre de Madame, Groult's interior comprised coordinating furniture pieces of rounded contours and voluptuous forms, enveloped in cream-colored shagreen upholstery, with ivory and silver detailing, and accents of pink in the interior. Pieces from the suite included defining exemplars of Art Deco style including the Chiffonnier Anthropomorphe, now in the permanent collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. The voluptuous form of the Chiffonnier, fancifully crafted to suggest the curved outlines of a woman's body, was echoed across the other suite components, including the rounded framed of the Madame's bed, with it's scallop-like headboard and footboard, and charming oval feet. Strips of shagreen upholstery, carefully pieced together in a radiating geometric pattern across the suite, are a testament to craftsmanship in their precision and execution, as well as an astonishing display of material decadence, speaking to the taste for opulent and luxurious interiors presented in Paris in 1925.
Indeed, André Groult and other ensemblier-décorateurs made their livings designing deluxe and modern interiors for elite collectors, who sought highly refined, sophisticated pieces, including those on display in 1925. Following his success at the Exposition, Groult was commissioned by an American client to recreate his Chambre de Madame suite entirely in bright green shagreen, comprising a sideboard, chest of drawers, desk, chairs, and armchairs, as well as the present bed (the chest of drawers, pair of armchairs, and desk with chairs sold at Christie's in 2006, 2017, and 2021 respectively). The pearly white spots inherent to the sharkskin stand out against the green-dyed shagreen, creating an effect of light glittering across viridescent water, while the geometric paneling in varying shades of green recall the rigid lines of cut stone. These material details, customized special for this green-shagreen commission, combine themes of nature with expert human artistry, creating a stunning visual contrast and an entirely modern feel. In Groult’s Important Bed, these elements make it a masterwork of Art Deco artistry, and a symbol for the luxurious tastes that defined the era.