Important Design
Important Design
"Cité" Armchair
Auction Closed
December 8, 07:38 PM GMT
Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Jean Prouvé
"Cité" Armchair
circa 1930
lacquered steel, leather, fabric upholstery
32¼ x 30 x 35⅞ in. (81.9 x 76.2 x 91.1 cm)
The furniture marked a turning point in the career of Prouvé. Known as Cité, the furniture was robust and simple. He focused on utility and functionality, creating furniture that was durable and easy to clean. The present chair originates from the university and showcases Prouvé’s inventiveness in furniture design. The frame is rigid and light with leather straps traversing an inset area of the metal armrest. The leather spans horizontally to form a flexible armrest, adjustable like a belt on the underside of the chair. The seat and backrest present as one piece, upholstered in a solid fabric, also with adjustable tension. From this time forward, Prouvé would focus on the use of bent metals and industrial processes in the creation of furniture and architecture. The chair is an early example of Prouvé’s industrial modernism and predates the opening of Ateliers Jean Prouvé, the manufacturing facility that allowed the designer to experiment with and produce his ingenious designs at a larger scale. This chair is iconic and was a favorite of the designer; he kept multiple examples in his own living room.