Paul Sormani, 1817-1878

 

Paul Sormani was considered one of the great French “ébénistes,” or cabinetmakers, of the 19th century. He specialized in creating furniture and works of art mainly in the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles and provided magnificent and awe-inspiring furniture on demand. His major rivals in Paris were Henri Dasson, his teacher, and later François Linke, each of whom created highly admired furniture for their aristocratic and wealthy clients.

 

Establishing his atelier in 1847, Sormani quickly become known for his superior workmanship. The same year, he married Marie Phillipe Bouvaise, daughter of an important bronze sculptor who also was a “fondeur.” This collaboration provided a new dimension to his work: superior ormolu execution. Sormani’s preeminence as a master cabinetmaker caught the attention of Napoleon III – and of course, the new class of wealthy Europeans who wished to own pieces similar to those they saw at Versailles and Fontainbleau. He exhibited at many Expositions Universelles - Paris in 1855 where he was awarded a first-class medal, London in 1862 where he received another medal, and again in Paris in 1867.  Around this time Sormani designed this remarkable French jewel box. 

 

While Paul Sormani exhibited and won major honors at many of the international exhibitions in the later half of the 19th century, it is significant that today many of his signed works are in the possession of museums and connoisseurs throughout the world.  Prominent American collectors also were his clients, including the Vanderbilts and Whitneys. Several of Sormani’s pieces are on display at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde