Low bench by Charlotte Perriand, Mauritania, Africa, 1960s, simple design bench

A pioneer of modernism in France, Charlotte Perriand was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century design and architecture. In her long career, Perriand’s aesthetic grammar constantly evolved, moving from the tubular steel furniture of the Machine Age to a lyrical naturalism that is reflected in her enduring designs for chairs, sconces, daybeds and other works.

Perriand’s studies at the Ecole de L'Union Centrale de Arts Decoratifs left her enthralled by Charles-Édouard "Le Corbusier" Jeanneret and his vision of a new, rational architecture. In 1924, she joined his studio to design furniture along with Pierre Jeanneret, Corbu’s partner and cousin.

Together, they devised some of the finest examples of early modernist furniture, including two icons of the era: the B306 chaise — later renamed the LC4 — with its swooping frame and hide upholstery; and the chunky, steel-framed Grand Confort club chair. Both pieces were part of the LC line, which saw the trio of designers carrying out bold experiments with tubular chromed steel, just as architect and Bauhaus faculty member Marcel Breuer had executed with his cantilever Cesca chair around the same time. (Furniture created by Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret was originally produced by Austrian manufacturer Thonet but Italian firm Cassina acquired the production and sales rights to their works in 1964.) 

Collaborative design produced another Perriand triumph: in the early 1950s, she and Jean Prouvé were engaged to produce desks, worktables and bookcases for the University of Paris. The bookcases — slim pine shelves with brightly painted aluminum dividers — are minimalist mid-century masterpieces.

By the end of that decade, Perriand’s aesthetic had changed completely from the earliest days of her career. She produced a series of furniture in ebonized wood: chairs with gentle S-curve legs, front and back; tables with elliptical tops. In the 1960s, Perriand pushed the boundaries of prefab to produce high-quality housing and furnishings at low cost for the French ski resort Les Arcs. She also adopted an almost rustic look at the time, designing simple chairs with dowel-cut frames and rush seats. 

Everything in Perriand’s oeuvre is beautiful, whether it’s the centerpiece of a décor or an accent, and her work is in every great design collection, public and private.

The vintage Charlotte Perriand furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes stools, coffee tables, case pieces, lighting and more.