The renowned Spindler marquetry house has become synonymous with Alsatian craftsmanship, representing a unique tradition of folk and regional art that has captivated audiences far beyond France's borders. A new documentary titled "Spindler, Art as Heritage" chronicles the remarkable saga of three generations of passionate artisans who transformed their traditional craft into an internationally recognized art form, carrying their expertise from the Alsace region to as far as the United States.
This extraordinary family story unfolds through the lives of three men across three generations: Charles, born in 1897, his son Paul, and grandson Jean-Charles. What sets their marquetry workshop apart is its singular focus on creating marquetry paintings as complete artistic works, rather than using the technique merely to decorate furniture as was customary at the time. Their innovation was simple yet revolutionary: creating art for art's sake through the medium of wood inlay.
Charles Spindler, the founding patriarch, established the artistic foundation after completing his studies in Strasbourg and Germany. He set up his workshop in the former Benedictine abbey of Saint Leonard in Boersch, in the Bas-Rhin region, where he devoted himself to his preferred theme: Alsatian folk art. Drawing inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement that was flourishing across Europe at the time, Charles developed his distinctive personal style. His marquetry works gained recognition at universal exhibitions, establishing the family's international reputation.
The artistic sensibility deepened with Paul, Charles's son, who possessed perhaps an even more pronounced artistic soul. His daughter Yvonne fondly recalled her father's passion: "Papa always loved being in the forest, seeing the castles, and painting nature. During his walks, he was truly himself. He wanted to instill in us an appreciation for beauty and to see colors... He made me train my eye." Paul's works focused on nature, landscapes, and local heritage, avoiding political messages in favor of celebrating the natural beauty of his homeland.
Jean-Charles, Paul's son and Yvonne's brother, took over the workshop in 1974, bringing his own vision to the family tradition. "I had my ideas, I wanted to shake everything up," he recalled of that period. His travels before assuming the family succession provided him with new "marqueto-pictorial" themes, allowing him to modernize the craft while maintaining its essential character. His approach embodied change within continuity, with modernism as his guiding principle.
For both Charles and his son Paul, Alsace remained at the heart of their artistic vision. This focus was particularly significant given the turbulent historical context, as the region found itself at the center of conflicts between Germany and France. After Alsace was annexed by Germany in 1870, it returned to French control in 1918. Charles's heart belonged neither to France nor Germany but to Alsace itself, a sentiment he proudly expressed through his artwork.
His marquetry paintings depicted Alsatian houses, castles, and villages, bringing to life traditional village scenes and popular folk imagery. This folk and folkloric art honored his region's rich customs and distinctive regional characteristics. Charles created a fantasy of eternal Alsace, neither truly German nor truly French, and his success was immediate. Every respectable Alsatian household soon displayed a Spindler marquetry piece in their home.
As political tensions eased in later decades, the timeless and romanticized Alsatian paintings were often relegated to storage, replaced by other themes and changing fashions. Jean-Charles observed this cultural shift: "In the 1930s and 1950s, people would say 'Spindler, that's something special.' People put Spindlers in their living rooms. Later, they moved them to the attic."
The Spindler family story represents more than a typical business inheritance saga. Unlike industrial enterprises or manufacturing companies, this was an artistic creation workshop where each personality could find their own path while contributing to the family legacy. Charles was entrepreneurial and deeply invested in his artistic choices, while Paul was more of a dreamer, completely uninterested in numbers and sales. Jean-Charles sought to revolutionize the tradition while respecting his inheritance.
"In 1975," Jean-Charles explained, "I tried to position myself in relation to this workshop and its various challenges. You can't create just to create. You have to find interest among potential buyers." Thus, the grandson embraced both the artistic and economic aspects, much like his grandfather, but with added modernism. Now 62 years old, he contemplates the future of his legacy: "I will only give it to my children because I wouldn't want the name to be sold to make matchboxes."
The documentary "Spindler, Art as Heritage," directed by Fanny Spindler, offers viewers an intimate look at this remarkable family tradition that has preserved and evolved Alsatian folk art across more than a century. Through their dedication to craftsmanship and artistic innovation, the Spindler family has ensured that the art of marquetry continues to represent the cultural identity and artistic heritage of the Alsace region.
