Exceptional Art Nouveau Olivier pedestal table... Lot 41

Exceptional Art Nouveau Olivier pedestal table with pewter and mother-of-pearl inlaid top from the 1900s by the artist Georges Rey. France, 1900-1906, Walnut wood, pewter and mother-of-pearl inlaid top H. 85 cm ; W. 113 cm ; D. 65 cm ; D. tray : 57 cm An oval stamp with the artist's name "G. REY" on the reverse of the fine marquetry top. Little is known little about the life of this talented cabinetmaker, except that he owned a workshop at 44 rue de Charenton between Charenton between 1905 and 1920. One of his works is on display at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, an armchair entitled "Le jour et la nuit" ("Day and Night"). This astonishing pedestal table is richly decorated. In fact, it is supported by four legs joined by a brace carved in the shape of stylized roots. The legs are linked to the brace by intertwined branches. Firstly, on one of the mounds that make up the base's decoration, we can see a child's face that blends in with the ivy. with the ivy. This image is a symbol of resurgence: life seems to renew itself and emerge from the earth. It's the first stage in the cycle of life. On each foot, the evolution of the woman's life continues. At first, she's young, smiling and innocent, then loving and serious in another scene, before curves and wrinkles appear later. wrinkles later. Finally, she ends up old and decrepit. This cycle reflects an ancestral art: that of the Memento Mori, particularly prevalent in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. We also note the presence of a salamander salamander, symbolizing unchanging faith and rebirth. This salamander is linked to the cycles of life and resurrection, as explained by alchemist Michaël Maïer in 1613. Finally, to serve this cycle of life, Georges Rey uses another evolutionary theme, that of the four seasons. The four legs of this extraordinary extraordinary piece of furniture represent the different ages of life through the evolution of the four seasons, a traditional theme in French furniture since the Renaissance. Each period of life corresponds to a season. SPRING We begin this cycle of the four seasons with Spring. Georges Rey personifies Spring with an allegory in the form of a young woman. the features of a young woman. She would represent adolescence in the ages of life. For the composition, the sculptor creates the bare bust of a young girl. This young lady shows us her straight profile. Her hair is pulled back and styled in the fashion of the Belle Epoque style. The allegory flashes a slight, mischievous smile and seems to be giving a kiss to a dove, whose head and wings can only be seen in a faint head and wings in low relief. This bird is synonymous with purity and innocence. The young woman's nudity is cleverly and peonies in bloom and bud. The left-hand side of the scene is also The left-hand side of the scene is also lined with a multitude of roses, whose petals and serrated leaves can be made out like a millefiori background. The foot of the The foot of the piece of furniture, below this allegory, takes on a plant form, like a tree trunk ending in a small rocky mass. SUMMER The second season, Summer, continues the cycle of the ages, and now comes the season of love. This vision represents the beginning of of adulthood. The composition of the decor lends harmony to the scene, dominated by the young woman's face. The rest of her body is concealed by vegetation. Georges Rey magnificently depicts the woman's hair, with soaring and curls. She discovers her first love with a young man, whom she kisses with her lips. The allegory of summer is reflected in the evocation of the harvest, with ears of wheat caressed by the wind. On the man's torso, a large hibiscus flower hibiscus flower has bloomed, symbolizing man's love for woman and the perfection of form. AUTUMN In Autumn, vines and grapes have replaced wheat for the harvest season. The woman is at a mature age, her face.., her face, brightened by the intoxication of wine, is more marked. She smiles, her eyes laughing. She is surrounded by large vine leaves and foliage. This new way of perceiving nature nature allows the artist to conceive sinuous forms. Georges Rey no longer hides nudity, but reveals it without eroticizing it. This depiction alludes to the Bacchanalia, the festivities held in honor of the wine god Bacchus. WINTER The last season represented is Winter. The artist takes up the traditional figure illustrating this theme: an allegory eaten away by the passage of time. Here, the woman's body emerges from a holly bush, revealing her left breast. The work devoted to this season is particularly remarkable, especially in its realistic depiction of old age. The woman is in the twilight of her life, her face emaciated, her gaze tired. The old woman