Robert Bonnefille Dit Bonfil Ceramic Lamp, France, 1960s

Born in Paris, Bonfils spent 1903-1909 at various Parisian art schools: the École Germain Pilon, the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (where he subsequently taught for thirty-two years), and the École des Beaux Arts. From 1909 he exhibited regularly at the Salon d'Automne, by 1912 he was exhibiting at Salon des Artistes Décorateurs and then subsequently at Tuileries and abroad. He was an organiser of the 1925 Paris International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts, and the 1937 Exposition. His relationship with Bianchini who produced many of his textile designs commenced in 1915. He was made Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1926, being promoted to Officier in 1938.