Introduction
In 1881, the city of Paris sought to establish a furnishing school – the future École Boulle (opened in 1886) – in the very heart of Faubourg Saint-Antoine, the city’s center for trade and manufacturing. For this, it attempted to gain the support of professionals already working in the trades, including furniture and upholstery. Legriel and Lemoine, the presidents at the time of the Chambre syndicale de la tapisserie and the Chambre syndicale de l’ameublement, respectively, opposed the project vehemently. Chief among their concerns was the impossibility of providing cabinet-makers and upholsterers with a similar education....