Ruhlmann décorateur – an Introduction to the New Exhibition in Paris

A small exhibition dedicated to the Art Deco designer and interior decorator Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann (1879-1933) has recently opened at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Displayed in a new print room, part of the Drawing, Wallpaper and Photography Department, it runs until June 1st.

The exhibition catalogue, published by the museum, with essays by Bénédicte Gady, Marion Neveu and Armandine Malbois.

Ruhlmann was renowned for his luxurious furniture designs and took part in the 1925 International Exhibition where he had his own pavilion, the Hôtel du collectionneur  (House of a Collector), designed by architect Pierre Patout. Here he exhibited his designs in a palatial setting. He is however less well known for his many wallpaper and textile designs, which can be found in numerous sketchbooks in the museum’s collections. It is these that are highlighted in this exhibition. The museum collection contains around 400,000 wallpapers, from the late 17th century to the present day.

The new exhibition and consultation room of the Drawing, Wallpaper and Photography Department, located on the 5th floor of the museum.

 The exhibition, which features about 40 Ruhlmann wallpapers alongside textiles, pictures and drawings, shines a light on the collaboration between the great interior designer and two French manufacturers.

Colour samples for machine-printed paper, 1917

Ruhlmann gave 38 of his designs to the Société des anciens établissements Desfossé & Karth, established in Paris in 1824, between 1912 and 1932. His research focused mainly on birds, antique figures, cells, flowers, and geometric forms. Other designers like Henri Stéphany (1880-1934) also sometimes collaborated with this company under the name Atelier Ruhlmann. The display of some of the  ‘pochons’  (hand-painted designs used for production and sampling) next to their final wallpaper adaptations shows the different colourways produced. The woodblock printing technique was employed for the most complex pieces, while the use of rollers was preferred for the simpler ones. Some textile versions are also on display, such as the beautiful Monnaie-du-pape (Honesty) printed on a glossy velvet.

'Honesty'

Samples from a wallpaper pattern book c1928

The Société française des papiers peints (ESSEF) was established in the Oise area and has been active since 1881. A 1928-1930 Edition d’art catalogue containing wallpaper samples from Primavera, Louis Süe and André Mare also shows five patterns created by Ruhlmann in a variety of colours. These five designs in all their colourways are available via an interactive screen, since only one page of the book can be open in the exhibition. The high-quality print was achieved by the use of metal rollers. The main patterns comprise beautiful flowers made of circular and irregular lines, completed with spirals and dots in very vivid and powerful colours.

Student room and wallpaper, 1933

The exhibition also shows the layout and decoration of student rooms in the Cité internationale universitaire, a residential campus set up after the First World War. Ruhlmann’s firm, the Etablissements Ruhlmann et Laurent, which specialised in house painting, mirrors, wallpapers, lighting and furniture, took part in this project between 1925 and 1933. He supplied seven wallpaper designs in total to three of the Cité’s foundations, designing patterns with matching fabrics that created harmonious and functional spaces. These studio-designed everyday wallpapers feature small repeating and stylised floral patterns.

A craftsman from Atelier d’Offard in Tours (France).

Some of them have been recently re-printed by the talented Atelier d’Offard in Tours, using the traditional woodblock technique. A video shows visitors the successive steps needed to recreate these designs.

This small but important exhibition uncovers the wallpaper design talents of one of the most important figures in the Art Deco movement.

Ruhlmann décorateur runs from March 12th to June 1st 2025 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Marion Neveu

Associate curator, in charge of wallpaper, Graphic Arts Department of Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris