“Near the Ocean Floor”, Art Deco Lacquered Screen W/ Fish & Coral by Jallot

Unique and extraordinary, this two-panel Art Deco folding screen by Léon Jallot depicts an array of sea life near the ocean floor, including exotic and fearsome fish, coral, anemone, and seaweed. The screen is wood built up with gesso, and finished with layers of lacquer that give the color palette — olive green, scarlet, gold and deep green — great richness and depth. Jallot was one of the great designers in the golden age of Art Deco in France, producing an array of furniture pieces that are much collected today. Here he shows a fascination with aquatic life that was shared by the other great French artist who used lacquer extensively — Jean Dunand — who created lacquered screens with this theme in collaboration with Jean Lambert-Rucki. The screen was sold by Christie’s in 2014; it is signed by Jallot.