Paul Sormani (1817–1877) was born in Venice. Having trained as a cabinet maker he moved to Paris where he opened his first shop in 1847. Later his business expanded and he moved to the rue Charlot in 1867. Napoleon III's wife the Empress Eugenie was particularly fond of furniture in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. She decorated her home with both original pieces and spectacular reproductions in these styles. Sormani was a cabinet-maker who was able to meet the Empress's high standards. Paul Sormani was a maker of fine “meubles de luxe”, whose work was described in the 1867 Exposition Universelle catalogue as “toute sa production revele une qualite d'execution de tout premier ordre” The firm also made eclectic furniture in contemporary styles. It can be difficult to date Sormani's work, as the firm produced furniture for nearly ninety years. However, when Paul Sormani died (circa 1877), his wife and son took over the business and from this date onwards pieces are normally signed “Veuve Sormani & Fils”. Literature: Denise Ledoux-Lebard: Les Ébénistes du XIX Siècle 1795–1889.

Provenance: Hans Henning Schroder b. 1892, Consul General in Leningrad, 1930.