ALEXANDRE NOLL "CALICE" CUP, 1966 palissander,

Provenance
Odile Noll

Literature
Olivier Jean-Elie and Pierre Passebon, ALEXANDRE NOLL, PARIS, 1999, illustrated p. 58

"EACH STEP HE TOOK IN KNOWLEDGE OF A TREE...WAS A STEP INTO THE DISCOVERY OF HIMSELF."

Alexandre Noll was born in Reims in May 1890. Early in life he developed a great interest in art, and particularly sculpture. After the First World War, and after trying watercolors, Noll knew he wanted to devote himself to the art of woodcarving. He left his job at a bank and started to sell to department stores objects such as clogs and parasol handles, on which he engraved decorations. Around the same time, he worked for Paul Poiret, for whom he made lamp bases and other delicate items. At the same time, Noll carved and sculpted pieces which he exhibited at the "Exposition International des Arts Dé'coratifs et Industriels Modernes" of 1925 and 1927 in Paris.

During a holiday in 1935, Noll created his first tray sculpted from a block of rosewood that he signed "ANoll." This was the beginning of a proliferation of small sculptural objects, from walnut pitchers to teak bowls. Some of these were displayed at the "Société des Artistes Décorateurs" in 1939 and then at the Milan Triennale of 1940.

Soon, Noll's greatest ambition was the creation of unique "furniture sculpture" which was carved straight from the block of wood. From this point on, he worked almost exclusively in uniform woods such as elm, sycamore and ebony, which was his favorite wood for its appeal and color. As early as 1943, Noll's furniture was shown at the "Compagnie des Arts Français." Although Noll's friends and acquaintances included such important modern designers as Jean Prouvé, Serge Mouille and George Jouve, his design stands out distinctively from their harder-edged forms, as he was inspired by the organic shapes that wood could allow. In his design he explored every facet of the material, translating wood into something rarely seen before. As a self-taught artist, Noll experienced philosophy and aesthetics as essentially unified, as he did for sculpture and nature. Blurring the line between furniture and sculpture, he revealed the organic continuity in all objects, whether functional or aesthetic.

He took part in many exhibitions and was represented by galleries such as Galerie Colette Allendy, where he showed his first sculptures in 1946. The Galerie La Demeure exhibited his work in 1964 and the Galerie Messine in 1966. However, Noll always remained loyal to La Cremaillère, the first gallery to have promoted his work.

Alexandre Noll died in 1970 at Fontenayaux-Roses were he spent most of his life. His vision was a wholly original one. His inner explorations led him to create unique sculptures and furniture designs. In eulogy Pierre Joly wrote of Noll, "Each step he took in knowledge of a tree... was a step into the discovery of himself."