Andre Dubreuil "Spine Chair, " Pre-Production, Circa 1988
About the Item
- Creator:André Dubreuil (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 39.18 in (99.5 cm)Width: 18.51 in (47 cm)Depth: 39.38 in (100 cm)Seat Height: 17.33 in (44 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1987
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Cologne, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU98021162822
André Dubreuil
Artist and furniture creator André Dubreuil rejected the label "designer” and dismissed the notion of form over function. He’s on record as having said, "if we were merely functionalists we would still be sitting on rocks." Dubreuil's passion was to catch a person's attention and hold it — he did that with outwardly sculptural chairs, wrought iron tables and other furnishings.
Though his works serve their intended function quite well, Dubreuil intentionally masked their purpose in favor of producing pieces that bring delight to the beholder — as exemplified in his Spine chair, created in 1986. Arabesque lines bring form to his work by way of an almost lace-like structure in slender, curving metal table frames and chair legs. It's art that bears a resemblance to furniture.
Originally from Lyon, France, Dubreuil came from a wealthy pharmaceutical and medical research family. He had a classical upbringing, surrounded by ornate furniture and lavish decor, and so became accustomed to the finer things in life.
As a teenager, he moved to London to study drawing and drafting at the Inchbald School of Design. Dubreuil became a painter and worked as an antiques dealer before he fell in love with decorating. In 1981, he opened a workshop — alongside three colleagues, including British furniture designer Tom Dixon — creating decorative furniture from salvaged pieces of scrap metal and automotive parts.
Dubreuil drew on the work of French cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle and Louis XV-era furnishings as well as French Art Deco and Emilé-Jacques Ruhlmann. He eventually produced a body of work in patinated steel, copper, marble and colored glass for clients including Louis Vuitton and Chanel that would be just as much at home in an art gallery as it would be in a parlor or dining room.
Dubreuil passed away in 2022, leaving behind a magnificent array of furnishings that invite admiration and uplift any space.
Find vintage André Dubreuil tables, seating and lighting on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
1990s Unknown Modern Chairs
Chrome, Iron
Vintage 1980s Unknown Post-Modern Chairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wire
1990s Italian Modern Armchairs
Iron
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1980s Italian Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Linen, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Beech
Vintage 1970s Italian Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Fabric, Beech
