Sideboard in gouged wood, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Crafting Elegance: Exploring Gouged Wood

Gouged wood, an ancient woodcarving technique, has left an indelible mark on the world of furniture, interior architecture, and millwork, particularly during the Art Deco period.

This handcraftsmanship practice, which involves carving decorative designs into wood using special tools called gouges, has been widely used by renowned craftspeople and designers to create singular, sophisticated pieces.

To understand the evolution and importance of gouged wood, we must first study its origins, how it became part of various artistic movements, how it influenced Art Deco, and its legacy in contemporary design.

RINCK workshop, cabinetmaker's tools including gouges © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

RINCK workshop, cabinetmaker's tools including gouges © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Atelier RINCK, cabinetmaker using the gouge © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Atelier RINCK, cabinetmaker using the gouge © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

The gouge, the key implement in gouged woodworking, has existed since ancient times. This tool, a curved blade attached to a handle, allows a craftsperson to carve wood with precision and finesse. Over time, different gouge shapes and sizes were developed to meet carvers’ specific needs.

Shop of the Woodcrafters and Carvers, Gatlinburg, Tennessee (…) © US National Archives and records Administration/Lewis Line/CC

Shop of the Woodcrafters and Carvers, Gatlinburg, Tennessee (…) © US National Archives and records Administration/Lewis Line/CC

Library table by Gustav Stickley, 1902, and lamp by Dick van Erp, circa 1912 © Saliko/CC

Library table by Gustav Stickley, 1902, and lamp by Dick van Erp, circa 1912 © Saliko/CC

In the 19th century, the Art and Craft movement revived interest in traditional craft techniques, including woodcarving. The artisans of this movement emphasized craftsmanship and high-quality materials, contributing to carved wood’s popularity as a form of artistic expression.

It was nevertheless Art Deco that made this finish very popular a few years later, drawing inspiration from diverse cultural sources, including African carved-wood furniture. The geometric and abstract patterns of African carved wood then influenced Art Deco designers, inspiring them to incorporate sculpted- and gouged-wood elements into their creations.

Stool from Benin in the shape of a leopard © Ronny L (SMVK) / CC

Stool from Benin in the shape of a leopard © Ronny L (SMVK) / CC

« Antique works of art from Benin » (1900) by A. Pitt-Rivers © Pineway / CC

« Antique works of art from Benin » (1900) by A. Pitt-Rivers © Pineway / CC

Starting in the 1920s, gouged wood became increasingly popular, particularly among eminent designers such as Jean-Michel Frank, Adolphe Chanaux, and Marcel Coard, who contributed considerably to its use in furniture and interior architecture in that era.

Cover of the catalogue "Aux sources du XXème siècle" Galerie Jacques de Vos, J-M Frank Exhibition, 1988 © DR

Cover of the catalogue "Aux sources du XXème siècle" Galerie Jacques de Vos, J-M Frank Exhibition, 1988 © DR

Sideboard in sandblasted oak worked with an adze and a gouge. Courtesy Jacques De Vos Ed Du Regard/ Courtesy Jacques De Vos

Sideboard in sandblasted oak worked with an adze and a gouge. Courtesy Jacques De Vos Ed Du Regard/ Courtesy Jacques De Vos

Jean-Michel Frank, celebrated for his luxuriously minimalist approach to interior design, used gouged wood to create furniture embodying the timeless elegance of Art Deco. Frank combined gouged wood with materials such as leather, glass, and metal to design pieces that were both functional and aesthetically elegant.

Adolphe Chanaux, who long worked with Jean Michel Frank, made innovative use of gouged wood in his designs. His furniture typically had clean lines and sculptural details, to which gouged wood added a dimension of sophistication and refinement.

Marcel Coard represented a less minimalist side of Art Deco: He was best known for his bold and experimental approach to design. He used gouged wood in groundbreaking ways, often combining it with exotic materials such as parchment, shagreen, and lacquer to create unique, luxurious furnishings.

Table by Marcel Coard in oak with a ceruse patina and carved with an adze © Sotheby's Paris

Table by Marcel Coard in oak with a ceruse patina and carved with an adze © Sotheby's Paris

Extract from the book "Marcel Coard décorateur" by Amélie Marcilhac, Les Editions de l'Amateur, 2012 © Les Editions de l'Amateur

Extract from the book "Marcel Coard décorateur" by Amélie Marcilhac, Les Editions de l'Amateur, 2012 © Les Editions de l'Amateur

LA GAZETTE DROUOT N° 14, APRIL 8, 2022 © COPYRIGHT AUCTIONSPRESS"

LA GAZETTE DROUOT N° 14, APRIL 8, 2022 © COPYRIGHT AUCTIONSPRESS"

Together, these designers played a crucial role in popularizing gouged wood during the Art Deco period, creating pieces that marked the history of interior design and continue to influence contemporary design to this day.

During the 20th century, notably, gouged wood played an important role in the decorative arts. French designer Jean Touret, for example, used this technique with Les Artisans de Marolles in the 1950s and 1960s to create modernist furniture that is meeting with success even today.

Detail of the Hébé cabinet in gouged wood and blue lacquer, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Detail of the Hébé cabinet in gouged wood and blue lacquer, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Gouged wood can be created in a variety of styles, from carving reflecting the roundness of the gouge to a torn-out look to abstract and organic designs. Each gouged piece is one of a kind, a testament to the craftsperson’s talent and creativity. This technique is wide-ranging and adaptable and can be tailored to a variety of styles and designs. Gouged wood can be used to enhance furniture, create decorative panels, or carve entire interior architectural elements, such as bookcases or even modernist structures.

Galerie RINCK, rue de Beaune, Paris 7, gouged wood bookcase © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Galerie RINCK, rue de Beaune, Paris 7, gouged wood bookcase © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Hébé cabinet in gouged wood and coral lacquer, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Hébé cabinet in gouged wood and coral lacquer, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Base of the Félicité table, in carved wood, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Base of the Félicité table, in carved wood, RINCK design © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

In the design world, gouged wood is experiencing a 21st-century revival: Contemporary designers are exploring new ways to incorporate this technique into their projects to give them a modern, innovative touch.

Artisans and designers worldwide continue to find gouged wood both fascinating and inspiring. Its legacy in Art Deco and beyond is a testament to its ability to transcend eras and remain relevant in the world of contemporary design. Whether in interior or exterior architecture, millwork, or furniture, gouged wood remains a valuable artisanal technique that brings beauty and sophistication to any design project.

Dining room ensemble, Félicité Collection, RINCK design © Augustin de Valence/RINCK

Dining room ensemble, Félicité Collection, RINCK design © Augustin de Valence/RINCK

Savoir-Faire

  1. The creativity of the interior design and decoration studio is born of a profound understanding of the historic languages of ornamentation. This mastery of the classic catalogs and their legacies allows greater freedom in interpreting aesthetic codes. The studio creates contemporary, inspired spaces that resonate fully with their owners. An essential prerequisite to our company’s approach.

  2. The professionals in our design studio, masters of the history and hallmarks of luxury furniture, annually design one full contemporary collection, along with many bespoke pieces for exacting connoisseurs and collectors. This expertise builds upon more than 180 years of design work in the most varied styles, creating hand-in-hand with our group’s in-house workshops. Possessing such comprehensive knowledge of materials and finishes, our furniture-design teams are wholly at ease devising the most complex pieces of furniture using wood, stone, leather, precious stones, both wood and straw marquetry, and even metal.

  3. Our company – boasting its own production workshops and approaching its second century of operations – brings together many skills specific to French decorative arts. Be it our boiserie and millwork workshops, our furniture and bronze workshops, or our design offices, more than a dozen forms of savoir-faire are expertly practiced at our three sites, each having its own venerable history, a legacy that is further enriched as it is taught by one generation to the next.

    They are complementary, often complex, traditional, or innovative, and combine the nobility of handcraftsmanship and the perfection of age-old techniques with digital precision and other new practices born of technological advancements. Their uses are dedicated to the making of exceptional pieces and are mastered by women and men who, with passion and respect, transform the material into something even greater than itself and bring to life all the interiors imagined by our designers and executed for our trusting clients.

     

  4. Joining in creative collaboration with passionate artisans who bring their savoir-faire to life, expertly honing raw materials into singular designs, is not only a strength, it is a choice. Rinck’s love for the decorative arts often finds expression in alliances with other companies, artists, and craftspeople who embrace the same values of excellence and aesthetics.

  5. Over the past several decades, Rinck has perfected a precise project-management process making it possible to undertake top-quality missions working with decorators, interior designers, and architects who are not only the most accomplished in their fields, but the most exacting, as well.

    More often than not, our references choose to remain discreet, as the owners of yachts and superyachts, luxurious New York City townhouses, and princely London palaces. Quite a few, however, are household names.

     

    Our multi-material methodology (wood, metal, glass, stone, etc.) and end-to-end process – from the work of the engineering and design department to the installation to the worksite supervision – have earned our clients’ steadfast trust. Each of these fitting and/or furnishing commissions is entirely customized and unique. Each new project is also another chance for us to adapt our savoir-faire to original requirements, improve our working tools, and further hone and broaden our skills to satisfy the needs of our specifiers.