Dufour et Cie

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Dufour et Cie was an important manufacturer of wallpapers in Mâcon (France), founded in 1797 by the brothers Josef and Pierre Dufour.

history

Les Sauvages de la mer Pacifique , lanes 1–10 of a total of 20

The “Sauvages de la Mer du Pacifique” (The Savages of the Pacific), created in 1804, is considered the manufactory's greatest success. The panorama wallpaper depicts Captain Cook's trips to the South Seas, which took place between 1769 and 1797, in gorgeous colors in 20 lanes . Like the other products of the manufactory, the wallpapers were made with the wood model printing technique. It was the longest panoramic wallpaper of its time. The designs for the wooden stamps came from the artist Jean-Gabriel Charvet , who was a friend of Dufour.

Josef Dufour's date of birth is not considered to be perfectly secured. 1752 is often mentioned, but there is obviously a mix-up with a namesake born in Mâcon. Josef Dufour, on the other hand, was born in Tramayes , which his parents left when he was four years old. In the birth register there, the birth of the second child (Josef's older brother died early) is given as 1757, which is to be regarded as the actual date of birth of Josef Dufour.

Josef Dufour founded the company after his apprenticeship as an upholsterer in Lyon, initially together with his brother Pierre in Mâcon. After business went bad in the first few years and the company was forced to go into liquidation around 1800, Pierre left the company and Josef continued the manufacture under the name Josef Dufour et Cie. After that, the company quickly picked up. By 1805 Dufour et Cie was already employing 90 workers. Josef Dufour achieved his greatest success through his collaboration with the painter Jean-Gabriel Charvet, who was known in Lyon at the time, and who designed the famous “Sauvages de la Mer du Pacifique” panorama. Other famous designers at the manufactory were Xavier Mader and Evarist Fragonard .

As a result, there was a brisk trade with America, where the neoclassical style wallpapers were considered very chic by the upper classes.

Josef Dufour died in Paris in 1827. His son-in-law initially continued to run the company for a few years, but then sold it. The wooden blocks and original templates for the wallpaper were destroyed.

See also

literature

  • Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique: manufactured by Joseph Dufour et Cie 1804-05 . Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2000. ISBN 0-642-54152-3 .

Web links

Commons : Joseph Dufour  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files