LELEU Jules

Jules LELEU

France (1883-1961)

Jules Emile Leleu studied at the Beaux Arts of Boulogne sur Mer. In 1909, he succeed to his father at the head of the family business. Associated with his brother, he developed  a branch of activity in decorative art and a craft workshop in 1910. In 1925, he received the Grand Prix award at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et industriels modernes with a dining room. One of the chest of drawers showcased at the exhibition is now part of the Met collection. He developed his activity in 1926 with the decoration of ocean liners, notably the living room of ’’Atlantique’’ liner. He received other public commissions such as the presidential train of French president René Coty. For the UN, he designed ‘’the great living room of the ambassadors’’,  now called ‘’Salon Leleu’’, maintained in perfect original condition. He died in 1961, in a car accident. Maison Leleu closed in 1973, due to the transformation of design taste and difficulty to find precious wood.

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