Jean-Brieuc Chevalier Wins Bettencourt Prize for Embroidered Wood Marquetry
In 2025, Jean-Brieuc Chevalier, a craftsman hailing from Angers, received the Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour l'intelligence de la main for his intricate embroidered wood marquetry screen titled "Mille fleurs." Since 2012, he has pioneered "haute couture" cabinetmaking, combining marquetry with hand embroidery techniques. This remarkable screen comprises 15,500 pieces of wood and 171,000 beads, taking three years to create, and pays tribute to the millefleurs tapestries found at Château de Villevêque. Chevalier, born in Brest in 1985, obtained a DMA in cabinetmaking in 2011. He also crafted a circular Art Deco panel for the Orient Express and designed decor for Oud Architecture at the Mobilier national's Nouveaux Ensembliers salon. Future exhibitions include a mirror at Invisible Collection in New York and "Mille fleurs" at Homo Faber 2026 in Venice.
Key facts
- Jean-Brieuc Chevalier won the Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour l'intelligence de la main in 2025.
- His award-winning work is the embroidered wood marquetry screen 'Mille fleurs'.
- The screen comprises 15,500 wood pieces and 171,000 glass beads.
- Chevalier developed 'haute couture' cabinetmaking combining marquetry and embroidery.
- He created a headboard for the future Orient Express train, designed by Maxime d'Angeac.
- In 2025, he designed the ambassador's office for Oud Architecture at Mobilier national.
- His cabinet 'Cosmo' was exhibited at Révélations biennale in 2022.
- The 'Mille fleurs' screen will be shown at Homo Faber 2026 in Venice.
- Chevalier opened his atelier in Angers in 2012.
- He received a DMA in cabinetmaking in 2011 from Lycée Charles-Cros in Sablé-sur-Sarthe.
Entities
Artists
- Jean-Brieuc Chevalier
- Maxime d'Angeac
- Armand-Albert Rateau
- Pierre Charrié
- Lily Alcaraz
- Léa Berlier
Institutions
- Fondation Rémy Cointreau
- Fondation Giorgio Cini
- Villa Albertine
- Mobilier national
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs
- CNAP
- Invisible Collection
- Oud Architecture
- Lycée Charles-Cros
- Connaissance des Arts
Locations
- Angers
- France
- New York
- United States
- Venice
- Italy
- Brest
- Sablé-sur-Sarthe
- Château de Villevêque
- Isola San Giorgio
- 24 E 64th St Unit 1R, New York