Michel Dufet and Rhodia Bourdelle married in 1947 and moved into an apartment in the museum, in the former studios on the first floor of the old building. Michel Dufet was an interior designer who created decors in the spirit of ship cabins.
The couple could have filled their home with modern furniture designed by Michel Dufet, but they preferred to surround themselves with Antoine Bourdelle memorabilia mixed with a few of Dufet's creations.
This painting is a view of the west wall of the living room, in a lime-yellow shade, with a tight framing that only reveals a fragment of the room. Thus David of Reims cast and the Godin stove do not appear in this image. Above the Japanese lacquer chest of drawers is a painting, The Good Samaritan (MBCO243) by Charles Dufresne (1876-1938). He was a member of the jury at the Salon des Tuileries, of which Bourdelle was vice-president. On either side, there are a pair of twisted columns decorated with vines (ICO108), which previously stood in Antoine Bourdelle's apartment (MBPV3622). The Cypriot Head (MBCO031) on top of the chest of drawers is an ancient work. Bourdelle was fond of the piece and made the base for it. In the foreground is The Walking Man by Auguste Rodin (MBCO044), which the Musée Rodin gave to Bourdelle in 1928 in exchange for two busts Bourdelle made of Rodin. Next to it is the Cantilever Armchair with Yellow Steel Frame (MBDU006), designed by Michel Dufet in 1929. On the left is one of the damascened curule armchairs where Bourdelle liked to rest (MBPH4020).
Although there are sculptures by Bourdelle in the apartment, none are visible here. Perhaps Michel Dufet had too much reverence for Bourdelle's work to dare paint it.
Valérie Montalbetti Kervella
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