Founded by Aline Chastel and Laurent Maréchal (1961–2011), the premise of the gallery from the outset has been to rediscover the great French creators of the 20th century. It is to the gallery that we owe the renaissance of Line Vautrin – remarkable 1950s creator of mirrors, objects and jewelry in resin – through several exhibitions and the publication of a reference work by writer and aesthete Patrick Mauriès. The Chastel-Maréchal gallery also revived the striking work of Serge Roche (1898–1988), Jean Royère (1902–1981), Gilbert Poillerat (1901–1988) and Jean-Charles Moreux (1889–1956). “Organizing a monographic exhibition requires ten years of work to assemble a substantial collection of important pieces by a creator, and detailed archival documentation covering their career.” It’s a long-term process. Aline Chastel is recognized as an expert in the decorative arts of the 20th century. She is a member of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA), one of France’s oldest organisations of art dealers, whose aim is to safeguard the country’s heritage and its cultural and economic development.
Alongside her passion for treasures from the past, Aline Chastel is also committed to promoting the work of contemporary creators. Joy de Rohan Chabot, a multidisciplinary artist working since the 1970s and discovered through exhibitions at Maison Jansen in the 1980s, draws her inspiration from the profusion of nature that surrounds her studio in the Auvergne. While her early work was based on floral motifs painted on screens, trays and other objects of character, she now gives life to her imaginary gardens in the form of frames of branches, log boxes or leafy chairs. “Collaborating with a working designer is about helping them to express their talent fully. In the case of Joy de Rohan Chabot, we encouraged her to work in bronze, and she is now creating sculptural furniture.”
Paris, the Left Bank, the gallery – but there are also many years of art fairs. Aline Chastel quickly understood the importance of embracing the international scene. The major art fairs are vital appointments with the collectors. For the last decade the gallery has attended The Salon, held every November at New York’s Park Avenue Armory. Over the years the stands have become truly curated exhibitions, showcasing pieces in original ways. The TEFAF shows in Maastricht and New York, which the gallery attends, are always an opportunity to show rarer works by creators such as Pierre Chareau, Eileen Gray, Marc du Plantier. The PAD fairs in Paris and London are also unmissable dates in the art-lover’s calendar. This busy schedule contributes to the gallery’s reputation, but the rhythm imposed doesn’t always allow for the full expression of an idea or a feeling.