Tag Archives: lacquered wood

Design and Innovation

Eye On Design: Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Jean Dunand Chinoise Dressing Table

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chinoise dressing table phot by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

The Art Deco movement of the 1920s left an indelible mark on the world of design, epitomizing the perfect balance between modernity and timeless aesthetics. This Chinoise Dressing Table (1927) is a collaborative masterpiece from the partnership of  Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (one of the most important figures in the Art Deco movement.) and Jean Dunand (the most important lacquer artist of the Art Deco period)  which stands as a testament to their exceptional talent. Recently auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York City, this extraordinary Chinoise Dressing Table shines as a treasured reminder of an opulent past. Continue reading Eye On Design: Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Jean Dunand Chinoise Dressing Table →

Design and Innovation

Eye On Design: Lacquered Wood Screen By Eileen Gray

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lacquered wood screen by eileen gray photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Eileen Gray (1879 – 1976) wrote that “Art is not just the expression of abstract relationships. It must also encapsulate the most tangible relations, the most intimate needs of subjective life.”

Continue reading Eye On Design: Lacquered Wood Screen By Eileen Gray →

Design and Innovation

Eye on Design: Head of the Moon Chest of Drawers By Pierre Cardin

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head of the moon by pierre cardin photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Although Angelo Donghia, was the first designer to put his name on furniture in 1973, Pierre Cardin’s venture in the field was far more successful. Cardin opened a custom furniture shop in Paris in 1975, and in 1977, he licensed his name for furniture, lighting and rugs that translated his fashion aesthetic into designs for the mass market., who didn’t design the pieces himself, felt that furnishings were a logical extension of his brand: and deferred to the pieces as his couture furniture.

head of the moon installation view photo by gail worley
Installation View from Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion

The red and black lacquer chest of drawers, titled Head of the Moon, was designed in 1978. While it was not designed alongside the looks on view behind it, Cardin’s tight visual language creates a natural link between the two.

head of the moon chest of drawers by pierre cardin photo by gail worley

Photographed as Part of the Exhibit Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion at The Brooklyn Museum.

Design and Innovation

Eye On Design: Pierre Cardin’s Junior Unit Chest

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Pierre Cardin Junior Unit Chest
Pierre Cardin’s Junior Unit Chest, Installation View (All Photos By Gail)

Pierre Cardin’s interest in geometry has extended throughout his career, beginning in his teens, when he was an apprentice tailor. Over the decades, his work has featured triangular lamps and square shoulders but it is the circle that predominates in his design. We featured a look at the circle motifs in his furniture design in This Post, and another terrific example of what the legendary designer refers to as his ‘couture furniture’ is the Junior Unit Chest of Drawers (1979–80).

Junior Unit Chest

Junior Unit Chest
Drawer Detail

Comprised of staggered, lacquered wood drawers which appear suspended inside a circular, chrome-plated metal frame, the Junior Unit is both modern and futuristic at the same time!

Junior Unit Chest

Photographed as part of the Exhibit Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion at The Brooklyn Museum.