r - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

cquired in 1923, Ruhlmann's fallfront
desk (below) was the Metropolitan's
first important purchase of
twentieth-century decorative art. Ruhlmann
was called "the Riesener of the
twentieth century" and the claim bears
up in comparing his works with those of
the favorite cabinetmaker of Marie
Antoinette in the Museum's collection.
Convinced of Ruhlmann's merit, the
Metropolitan wanted to acquire a showpiece
adorned with a marquetry basket
of flowers featured in the 1925 Exposition.
That cabinet, however, was sold to
the French State, and only after considerable
persuasion did the artist agree to
repeat the model (opposite page) for the
Museum.
Desk: Macassar ebony, ivory, and
leather, h. 441/4 in. Chair: Macassar
ebony and silvered bronze, h. 3312 in.
Cabinet: Macassar ebony, rosewood,
and ivory, h. 50/4 in. Purchase, Edward
C. Moore, Jr. Gift, 23.174,25. 231.3,1
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