Médaillier : Triomphe de Mérovée

Charles Guillaume Diehl (1811 - 1885)

Artwork not currently exhibited in the museum

Other artworks from artist

Although more of a specialist in producing small pieces of furniture and objects, it was the joiner, Diehl, who produced this imposing medal cabinet, created for the Universal Exhibition of 1867. The design of its form, marquetry and bronzes were entrusted to Brandely, and the sculpture to Frémiet, while Diehl put all his skill into the cedar and walnut veneers, and the marquetry decoration. Attracting much attention during the Exhibition, observers found it difficult to pinpoint the style of this medal cabinet. "Merovingian style", a "Gaulish piece" and even "a large, Gaulish piece in the Roman style", were all mentioned.
The meaning of this object lies in its bronze decoration. For his only collaboration in the discipline of furniture, Frémiet chose his favourite themes: animals and soldiers. The central bas-relief depicts Mérovée's victory over Attila at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains in 451. Frémiet had modified Brandely's design, giving more importance to the animals than to the people. The bronzes on the frame expand on the central subject, particularly the Frankish trophy woven with mistletoe above the door. Medals also feature, as on the 18th century medal cabinets, as a reference to the function of the piece.
Diehl probably wanted to sell this medal cabinet to the Emperor. The patriotic inspiration of the subject could well have pleased Napoleon III, who, having founded the Musée des Souverains in 1852, had created in it a section for Merovingian antiques. But his hopes were dashed. Moreover, the cabinet-maker only received a bronze medal for this piece and for three others in a similar style that he exhibited the same year – a medal he refused. Although these creations were recognised as the most innovatory in the exhibition, their influence did not last.

Resume
Object details
History - Provenance
Exhibitions
Sources
Categories
About this object record
Suggestion

Artist(s)

Diehl Charles Guillaume

auteur

Steinbach, Hesse (Allemagne) 1811 - Chessy, Seine-et-Marne (77) (France) 1885

Brandely E.

auteur

Lieu d'activité : Paris (France) entre 1855 et 1873

Fremiet Emmanuel

auteur

Paris (France) 1824 - Paris (France) 1910

Ebéniste. sculpteur. dessinateur industriel

Title(s)

titre principal : Médaillier : Triomphe de Mérovée

Date

1867

Others accession number

Accession number

OA 10440

Description

cèdre, marqueterie de noyer, ébène et ivoire sur bâti de chêne ; bronze et cuivre argentés

Dimensions

H. 238,0 ; L. 151,0 ; P. 60,0 cm.

Designation

mobilier

Inscription(s)

S.b.m. sur le bord inférieur du bas relief central : Brandely Diehl Frémiet
S.b.g. du bas relief central : E.Fremiet
gravé sur la charnière de la porte : Exposition Universelle/1867/Exposition de Vienne/1873/Diehl/19 rue Michel-le-Comte/Paris
Manuscrit à l'intérieur du meuble : Jozef Zeltt Polok a Warszawa/[robil w yravyzu w vukv 1867?]/[noi Wyv kuavz] [traduction partielle : Jozef Zeltt[?]. Polonais de Varsovie a travaillé à Paris en 1867. A l'exposition]

Place of conservation

musée d'Orsay

1886, vente publique, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 22 février 1886, n° 1
collection Nicolas-Marie Simon dit Simon-Max, artiste lyrique, (1848-1923)
collection Mme René Martin, sa fille
1973, vente publique, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 9 avril 1973, n° 40 repr.
1973, acquis en vente publique par les Musées nationaux
1973, attribué au musée du Louvre, Paris
1982, affecté au musée d'Orsay, Paris (arrêté du 19/07/1982)

Modality of acquisition

achat en vente publique

Acquistion Date

1973

Exposition Universelle - Champ-de-Mars - France, Paris, 1867, classe 14 - section 2
Weltausstellung - organisme inconnu - Autriche, Vienne, 1873, groupe 8
L'art en France sous le Second Empire - Galeries nationales du Grand Palais - France, Paris, 1979
Spectaculaire Second Empire - musée d'Orsay - France, Paris, 2016-2017

General bibliography

Anonyme, The Art Journal, "Paris, 1867, Illustrated catalogue of the International Exhibition", Londres, [s.n.], 1867, vol.6, p.151
Mesnard, J., Les Merveilles de L'Exposition Universelle de 1867, Paris, [s.n.], 1867, p. 178-183
Luchet, Auguste, L'Art industriel à l'Exposition Universelle de 1867, Paris, [s.n.], 1868, pp.105-106
Laurent, Stéphane, Connaissance des arts, "C.-G. Diehl artisan du nouveau style", Paris, Faton, 2009
(dir.) Cogeval, Guy, Le Musée d'Orsay à 360 degrés, Paris, Skira ; Flammarion ; Musée d'Orsay, 2013, p. 111, texte par Yves Badetz

Exposition catalog

Alcouffe, Daniel ; Chevallier, Bernard ; Davenport, Nancy ; Hiesinger, Kathryn B., L'Art en France sous le Second Empire, cat. exp. (Philadelphie, Philadelphia Museum of Art, du 01/10/1978 au 26/11/1978 ; Détroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, du 18/01/1979 au 18/03/1979 ; Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais, du 11/05/1979 au 13/08/1979), Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux, 1979, p. 133-134
Alcouffe, Daniel ; Chevallier, Bernard ; Davenport, Nancy ; Hiesinger, Kathryn B., L'Art en France sous le Second Empire, cat. exp. (Philadelphie, Philadelphia Museum of Art, du 01/10/1978 au 26/11/1978 ; Détroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, du 18/01/1979 au 18/03/1979 ; Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais, du 11/05/1979 au 13/08/1979), Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux, 1979, n°55
Chevillot, Catherine, Emmanuel Frémiet 1824-1910, la main et le multiple, cat. exp. (Dijon, musée des Beaux-Arts, du 05/11/1988 au 16/01/1989 ; Grenoble, musée de Grenoble, du 23/02/1989 au 30/04/1989), Grenoble, Musée des beaux-arts de Dijon - Musée de Grenoble, 1988, p.119, S.235
Cogeval, Guy [dir.] ; Badetz, Yves; Perrin, Paul ; Vial, Marie-Paule, Spectaculaire Second Empire, cat.exp. (Paris, musée d'Orsay, 27 septembre 2016-16 janvier 2017), Paris, Skira - Musée d'Orsay, 2016, cat. 225, p. 263 (reprod. coul.)

Summary catalog

Bascou, Marc ; Massé, Marie-Madeleine ; Thiébaut, Philippe, Musée d'Orsay. Catalogue sommaire illustré des arts décoratifs, Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux, 1988, p.76

Last modification

2024-04-15

Identifiant

19147

Url

19147

Médaillier : Triomphe de Mérovée

Other artworks from artist

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Bas d'armoire

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Buffet

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Table à ouvrage

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Bibliothèque-bureau de style Louis XVI

Médaillier : Triomphe de Mérovée

Resume

Object details

History - Provenance

Exhibitions

Sources

Categories

About this object record

Suggestion

Other artworks from artist

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Bas d'armoire

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Buffet

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Table à ouvrage

Charles Guillaume Diehl, Bibliothèque-bureau de style Louis XVI