François Linke (1855 1946).
François Linke (1855-1946).
Louis XV style coffee table in rosewood and gilded bronze frames. Signed F. Linke
Size: 75 x 57 x 112 cm
Francois Linke was the most important Parisian cabinetmaker of his time. In 1875 he arrived in Paris, after having completed his apprenticeship in his hometown of Pankraz in Bohemia. His success at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1900, gave Linke a great notoriety, allowing him to reach new markets, exhibiting at the most important international fairs, achieving great international fame. His work includes copies and adaptations of the different styles of French furniture of the 18th century. But it was his eclecticism between the Louis XV style and the new Art Nouveau style, which made him one of the most extravagant designers. Collaborating frequently with the famous sculptor Léon Messagé.
In 1904, he was appointed Officier de L 'Iinstruction Publique, and in 1905 he was called to be a member of the jury of the Liege exhibition. In 1904 and the Liege exhibition in 1905, Linke was awarded the highest distinction of France, the Croix de la Légion d'Honneur, on October 11, 1906.