Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann is, quite simply, one of the most defining figures of French decorative arts in the twentieth century. Born in Paris to a family of Alsatian origin, Ruhlmann took over his father’s interior decorating firm in 1907 and, within a few years, transformed it into one of the most refined design houses of his time. At the intersection of tradition and modernity, his work alone concentrated the very essence of Art Deco: never excessive, always exacting, profoundly luxurious.

Heir to the great tradition of 18th-century French cabinetmaking, Ruhlmann embodied it like no other—through a practice of exceptional precision, refinement, and methodical execution. A genius draftsman, he filled entire sketchbooks with prolific studies, to the point where one wonders whether the drawings preceded the pieces or the pieces the drawings.

His pieces, produced with the finest cabinetmakers and craftsmen in France, are distinguished by their architectural proportions, their restrained opulence, their uncompromising attention to detail, as well as a playful mastery of color. Veneers in exotic woods, ivory inlays, lacquered finishes, bronze mounts—it’s almost as if every element in a Ruhlmann piece was conceived to blur the boundaries between furniture and art.

His participation in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, where he designed the Hôtel du Collectionneur, sealed his legacy. That pavilion alone—complete with works by Jean Dupas, Edgar Brandt, and Ruhlmann’s own furnishings—offered a total vision of modern elegance and is still considered a manifesto of the Art Deco movement.

Today, his work continues to embody his philosophy: that of beauty with purpose.