Twentieth Century Obsession
Elie Massaoutis
“I’d like one of Marc Newson’s early pieces. This is a kid’s dream! I fell in love with his ‘Lockheed Lounge’ chair when I was 12 years old and saw Madonna’s music video of her song, ‘Rain’. I think it was worth around $10,000 at the time. Today, you’d need to spend a few million to acquire one.” — Elie Massaoutis, Head of Design at Phillips’ Paris
In terms of art and design the twentieth century saw constant and unrelenting change and development, not only stylistically speaking, but in terms of theory, the evolving rolls of men and women, and in turn, the way in which people inhabited and used built environments. It’s important to remember that modernism is not only a “art movement”, but also a “philosophical movement”, which rejected Enlightenment thinking, and, for many modernists, the age-old structures of religious belief as a means of better reflecting a newly emerging industrial world (taking account of urbanization, developments in new technologies and a profound change in thinking following aftermath of the First and Second World Wars). Indeed a notable characteristic of modernism is self-consciousness concerning not only artistic, but social traditions, which led to experimentations in form, along with the use of techniques that drew attention to the processes used in creating works of art and design. In terms of interiors, this is perhaps best expressed by the likes of Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), Jean Prouvé (1901-1984), Robert Mallet-Stevens (1886-1945) and Le Corbusier (1887-1965) et al, who found inspiration not only in new materials, for e.g. steel, sheet metal, aluminium and glass, but also in entirely new methods of production and fabrication as a means of improving well-being in the home. Twentieth century modernism is particularly fascinating in that it encouraged re-examination of all aspects of existence, encompassing everything from notions of commerce and consumption, to more philosophically defined characteristics, such as self-consciousness and self-reference, with the goal of finding that which was “holding back” progress, thus improving and re-shaping society with the aid of practical experimentation, scientific knowledge, technology and the arts. This is key to understanding how seemingly disparate yet co-existing phenomena — Expressionism, Futurism, Surrealism, the Art Déco, Bauhaus, modern dance, utopian town planning, nudism and even the cult of self-sacrifice following the First World War’s hecatomb — disclose a common cause, which, according to Gerald Graff (b. 1937) developed, at least in part, out of Romanticism’s revolt against the effects of the Industrial Revolution and bourgeois values. We spoke to Elie Massaoutis, Head of Design at Phillips’ Paris about his love, not only for the greats of twentieth century design, and in particular, the work of Jean-Michel Frank (1895-1941), Eileen Gray (1878-1976) and Émile Gallé (1846-1904), but also “barbeques” at the Ritz and using Saint Laurent’s tea service.
Elie Massaoutis, Head of Design at Phillips’ Paris, photograph by Vincent Flouret
The London List: After studying History of Furniture at L'Ifage and History of Art at Geneva’s Facultés ès Lettres, you went on to specialise in French Art Déco. What is it about the genre that particularly interests you?
Elie: What I like most about Art Déco is the simplicity of its forms and extreme sophistication. More than the form, it’s the quality of execution of works produced during this period that is so remarkable. Then there’s the great variety that one finds within the style itself that fascinates me – the different influences, sometimes diametrically opposed – which gives a vocabulary of great richness to the movement.
And who are your favourite twentieth century designers?
Names that immediately come to mind include Henry Van de Velde for the precocious abstraction one finds in his interiors and works, and Emile Gallé for his genius and for having revolutionized glass by creating works that are still unrivalled today. There are the lacquered works of Eileen Gray, the avant-gardist and precursor of Art Déco. The creations of Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann — because in terms of quality of execution there is no better! Then there are the creations of Jean-Michel Frank, who revolutionized the way of living and of conceiving decoration. This vision is very close to the minimalism sought today — Frank’s approach was a quest for the absolute and something spiritual that is lacking in the bare-bones settings so often seen in contemporary design. Alberto and Diego Giacometti have obviously created amongst the best “mobilier d’artiste”, but also Philippe Hiquily or Guy de Rougemont. I would be very happy to live in a space that combines the best of each of them!
Which designer or artist do you think had the biggest impact on the development of twentieth century design?
They’re numerous. Pre-Raphaelite artists and the Arts and Crafts movement —themselves influenced by Japanese artists — influenced all artists of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Without Art Nouveau, there would not have been the rejection of nature, which until then was the greatest source of inspiration for designers and interior decorators, which resulted in the Art Déco style. Then after the Second World War, without the rejection of Art Déco and the need to build cheaply and quickly, mid-century design would not have developed as it did. There are of course artists who have contributed to widening access to design to as many people as possible, but even for them, their most iconic works that are highly sought after today are the unique pieces, special orders dedicated to an elitist clientele who had the means to afford the very best.
You recently oversaw the sale of Jean Dunand’s Art Deco masterpiece, Les Palmiers at Phillips, London. What is it about the work that makes it so special?
Above all, it’s the scale of the work that makes it so exceptional. It’s not just an architectural element but the lacquered wall decor of an entire room. What makes it particularly extraordinary is the extreme freedom of the stylized geometric decoration representing a palm grove. It’s the only example of this quality still existing in its entirety today. Indeed, the technique used to lacquer the panels is an extremely laborious and slow technique. Successfully combining this freedom with technical difficulty for such a free, original and spectacular result, which has remained modern for almost 100 years since its creation — it’s what I call genius!
On that note, while at Sotheby’s you established record prices for works from the renowned collection of Parisian art historian and dealer Félix Marcilhac, who famously wrote a monograph on Dunand. An early champion of Art Deco on the international art market, Marcilhac had a unique eye for pieces that were often undervalued or overlooked during the latter part of the twentieth century. Is there any one piece from that sale that stands out for you in particular?
The standout piece for me was a unique cabinet by Jean-Michel Frank, made in bronze and gypsum. Félix Marcilhac’s collection was like a precious and mysterious reliquary, assembled in his mansion in Neuilly and kept secret from the eyes of almost all for over 40 years. The cabinet is a masterpiece of almost banal simplicity from the point of view of its form but so sophisticated. I owe a lot to this collection and my taste undoubtedly owes a lot to the eye of Félix, who had an appetite for the exceptional, his taste for Art Déco furniture and Art Nouveau objects.
Jean Dunand’s “Les Palmiers” Smoking Room (1930-1936), sold recently at Phillips London
How do you think the recent spate of auction records – for e.g. a Diego Giacometti bench that sold for $3.3 million, and a “Crocodile” Armchair by Claude Lalanne, for $2 million – will impact the market for decorative arts, and an existing collector base who are, increasingly, being priced out?
It’s hard to say, but for certain collectors there are those artists who have become brands and whose works act as vectors of social recognition. I think the spectrum of lots offered in Phillips’ design auctions leaves room for all our buyers and collectors, who cannot necessarily afford these “brands”, to acquire a great diversity of works. In a way, they can concentrate on works that are perhaps less speculative but still embody great historical interest, rarity and originality.
What would be your advice to those interested in collecting twentieth century design?
Above all, buy what you love. It can also be helpful to speak to professionals in the industry to help distinguish between an average piece and something exceptional. For me personally, I always look for a unique and high-quality work over a work that might be more recognizable but is mediocre in quality.
The design world seems to have an unhealthy preoccupation with chasing “trends” and “newness”, something which can often be counter‐productive, resulting in a rotation of uninspiring, unoriginal interiors that lack any real merit, depth or originality. Phillips is clearly primarily interested in selling works by the best artists and makers, but do trends still impact the way you approach sales and exhibitions?
For each sale we curate, it is clear that the taste of our specialists influences the sourcing of the objects we choose to present. There will always be some repetitions from one sale to another because you also have to meet market demands, but the balance of a sale is, in my opinion, the result of teamwork, with each specialist bringing their own stone to the building with their knowledge and expertise. I encourage those who are new to the world of design and budding collectors to visit museums dedicated to the decorative arts, as well as artists’ houses, and seek to learn to understand how design and the decorative arts have evolved. Without having the keys to reading, or curiosity, much of what we see today lacks interest and unfortunately often gives rise to interiors with no personality.
What’s your favourite work of art?
It’s impossible to respond to that question with a single work of art.
What was the first important piece of art you ever owned?
An internally decorated, blown out and cracked glass vase by Ernest Baptiste Léveillé of Japanesque influence from 1890. This was the first one from my collection that came from a local French auction house with no attribution a few years ago. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one who had spotted it but I was more eager to have it than the underbidder and won it.
Which artists would you collect if you could?
The list is endless, but I would start chronologically with Emile Gallé. I mentioned earlier how much of a genius he is, his artistic glass vases are beyond what one can imagine in terms of creativity and craftsman. I’d love to own some of Lucien Gaillard silver and enamel objects, or a work by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser because they are probably the most innovative artists of the very beginning of the 20th century. Eileen Gray and Pierre Legrain because their pieces of furniture are as powerful as sculptures; Jean Dunand because his creations are simply amazing and, like me, he is from Geneva and made his career in Paris. Also, Ruhlmann for his perfection and Frank for his timelessness. Then I would strive to have works by Carlo Mollino or Isamu Noguchi because their design pieces are amongst the best you can get for mid-century design and also have something very sculptural. I would also like one of Marc Newson’s early pieces. This is a kid’s dream! I fell in love with his Lockheed Lounge chair when I was 12 years old and saw Madonna’s music video of her song, Rain. I think it was worth around 10,000 US dollars at the time. Today, you need to spend a few million to acquire one of the latest ones available on the market — the Lockheed Lounge remains the world record price for a contemporary work of design, which was set by Phillips in 2015.
“Rose de France”, applied, carved and marquetry cased glass (c. 1900) by French artist Emile Gallé
An object you would never part with?
A 19th century marble bust I received from a very dear friend. I fell in love with it the very first time I saw it, its timelessness and perfection will always remind me of him.
What was the last thing you bought and loved?
Two silver pieces by Henri Husson that were exhibited in 1907 at Galerie A.A. Hébrard alongside silver pieces by Carlo Bugatti. This French autodidact artist has created some of the most interesting and beautiful metal objects I have ever seen.
What would you like to own that you currently don’t possess?
A Rick Owens Curial armchair.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Drinking my tea every morning in a silver tea set that once belonged to Yves Saint Laurent.
The site that most inspires you?
The square courtyard of the Louvre. I love its mineral perfection and its silence in the heart of Paris.
Where’s the most unforgettable place you’ve travelled?
The ancient Egyptian temples down the Nile. It was for one of my best friend’s 50th birthday celebration and is definitely something I’d recommend as a once-in-a-lifetime trip. The Temple of Isis at Philae was an unrivalled artistic experience for me. I will never forget it.
Where would you like to go next?
I’ve never visited Istanbul and would love to spend two weeks there and immerse myself in this historical city at the crossover of Orient and Occident.
What’s the best souvenir you’ve bought home?
My most cherished souvenirs aren’t material but linked to events or people I love who have, at a particular moment, come into my life and brought joy and usually some good laughs.
Tell us about a recent “find”?
The obsidian mirror with silver mount by Front. I fell in love with this object recently at Galerie Kreo; it has something antique about it and at the same time very contemporary, which I love.
If you didn’t live in Paris, where would you live?
I haven’t yet found a place where I feel more at home…
A “Curial” armchair, black plywood (2006) by Rick Owens
If you had to limit your shopping to one neighbourhood, in one city, which would you choose?
I would choose Paris of course and what is now called the new Centre of Paris —that combines the four original districts. First, because luckily this is where I live and because I could continue to go to the Louvre, MAD, the Centre Pompidou and all major museums located in the area. I could continue to enjoy my diners at Loulou and the magical sunset view over the Tuileries Gardens and the Eiffel Tower. I wouldn’t have to change my favourite canteens: La Belle Epoque or Ebis, two of the restaurants you’re most likely see me at. And of course, for special occasions, the garden restaurant of the Ritz for a barbecue during the long Sunday afternoons in summertime. I would miss crossing the Seine and enjoy the main 20th century design galleries of the left bank, but I mostly go there for work, not really for shopping. Ebis, 19 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 (+33 1 42 61 05 90)
What’s your favourite room in your apartment?
The living room. This is where I spend most of my time. I tend to eat, read, study, rest, host and watch movies in it.
What’s your biggest indulgence?
Mistakes — when they are not repeated. It is through correcting mistakes that you get better, sharper and more efficient.
What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year?
An Odyssey: A Father, A Son and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn. It’s a funny, loving portrait of a difficult but loving parent combined with a literary analysis of Homer’s Odyssey. The book enacts that the great works of antiquity remain relevant today, switching from erudite exposition one minute to emotion-filled reminiscence the next.
What would you do if you didn’t work in art?
I would be an interior architect because I love finding solutions to our constricted living spaces and trying to make the best out of them.
What ambition do you still have?
I would love to one day learn to play the piano.
What’s the greatest challenge of our time?
We live in a time of rapidly advancing technology and social media, so one of the greatest challenges is not to lose contact with each other and to sincerely stay connected to people, whether it’s directly or through art.
What’s next?
Becoming an auctioneer!