François Linke (1855-1946) The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, by Christopher Payne.
Linke is arguably the leading cabinetmaker of the Belle Epoque, the glittering age of fashionable French society, whose influence was felt throughout the world.
Christopher Payne's new book features over 700 superb photographs, drawn from private archives and Linke's own family - all of which are previously unpublished.
Published: October 2003
ISBN: 1 85149 440 5 - Now out of print.
Christopher Payne's Biography:
Since leaving Sotheby's in 1994, after twenty-five invaluable years experience at the very centre of the art world, Christopher has been acting as a curator for private collectors whilst continuing to appear regularly as an expert on furniture and sculpture on the established programme, the 'Antiques Roadshow'. Produced by the BBC from its centre in Bristol, the program is shown throughout the English-speaking world on cable and satellite and Christopher has been on the team since the 1980s. He has also appeared on the BBC's 'Antiques Inspectors', 'The Great Antiques Hunt' and other programs, including radio broadcasts.
He is a council member of The Furniture History Society, a group of scholars in Britain and elsewhere are members of the Society and many of them contribute to the Society's publications and become actively involved in its events.
Christopher continues to lecture to students and focus groups on furniture of all periods including the Antiques Roadshow Lecture & Conference Service.
Publications (excluding articles).
Nineteenth Century European Furniture, Antique Collectors' Club, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1981.
Animals in Bronze, Antique Collectors' Club, 1986.
Sotheby's Concise Encyclopedia of Furniture, (General Editor & contributor), Conran Octopus, 1989.
Miller's Collecting Furniture, Reed International Publishing Ltd., London, 1995
François Linke 1855-1946 The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Antique Collectors' Club, 2003.
Christopher Payne's 527 page hard-cover book "François Linke (1855-1946) The Belle Epoque of French Furniture" is a must have for every collector of Fine French 19th and Early 20th Century Antiques and Decorations.
F. Linke
François Linke (1855-1946) born in Pankraz, Bohemia, is considered by many as the greatest Parisian cabinetmaker of his day, at a time when the worldwide influence of French fashion was at its height. The ancien régime has always been the greatest source of inspiration for artistic design in France and, influenced amongst others by the de Goncourt brothers, the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles were revived to wide popular appeal. During the Second Empire these styles were so eclectic that they became debased. Linke wanted to create a fresh new style and his association with the enigmatic sculptor Léon Messagé resulted in a highly original series of designs, based on the rococo style fused with the latest fashion in Paris, l’art nouveau. This style, known as le style Linke, was received with critical acclaim at the 1900 exhibition and remains popular today amongst the worldwide clientele for Linke’s exquisitely made furniture.
The book, with 140,000 words of text and over 700 photographs, many previously unpublished and drawn from Linke’s own archive and private collections, has ten chapters showing the development of this exacting and prolific man’s life work. It traces his early life and apprenticeship and his comfortable family life in Paris, culminating with the award of the Légion d’honneur. Appendices on Metalwork and Wood add to the technical expertise of this book, giving a unique insight into the workings of any cabinetmakers recorded to date.
Jan's & Co. Fine French Antiques, Inc. wishes to thank Mr. Christopher Payne for allowing us to publish his biography as well as all the above information about François Linke.
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