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"Charlotte Perriand" Cansado Bench, circa 1950

$16,800List Price

About the Item

Charlotte Perriand (24 October 1903–27 October 1999) was a French architect and designer. Her work aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society. In her article "L’Art de Vivre" from 1981 she states "The extension of the art of dwelling is the art of living—living in harmony with man’s deepest drives and with his adopted or fabricated environment. Perriand was born in Paris, France to a tailor and a seamstress. In 1920, she enrolled in the Ecole de L'Union Centrale de Arts Decoratifs ("School of the Central Union of Decorative Arts") to study furniture design from 1920 until 1925. One of her noted teachers during this period was Art Deco interior designer Henri Rapin After applying to work at Le Corbusier's studio in 1927 and being famously rejected with the reply "We don’t embroider cushions here", Perriand renovated her apartment into a room with a large bar made of aluminum glass and chrome. She recreated this for the Salon d’Automne, gaining notice from Le Corbusier's partner, Pierre Jeanneret, convincing Corbusier to offer her a job in furniture design. There, she was in charge of their interiors work and promoting their designs through a series of exhibitions.[3] In 1928 she designed three chairs from Corbusier's principles. Each chair had a chromium-plated tubular steel base. At Corbuiser's request a chair was made for conversation: the B301 sling back chair, another for relaxation: the LC2 Grand Comfort chair, and the last for sleeping: the B306 chaise longue. In the 1930s, Perriand’s focus became more egalitarian and populist. Along with designing furniture and living spaces, she was also involved with many leftist organizations such as the Association des Écrivains et Artistes Révolutionnaires, and Maison de la Culture. She also collaborated with the Jeunes in 1937 and help to found The Union Des Artistes Modernes.[4] In her designs from that period, rather than using chrome, which proved to be expensive, she began to use traditional materials such as wood and cane, which were more affordable. She also used some handcrafted techniques which she displayed at the 1935 Brussels International Exhibition.[5] Many of her designs from this period were inspired from the vernacular furniture of Savoie where her grandparents lived—a place she visited often as a child. 1927 Is interviewed by Le Corbusier on an October afternoon. After a brief glance at her drawings she is rejected and Le Corbusier bids her farewell with the dry comment "We don't embroider cushions here." She leaves her card with him regardless, and later that year invites Le Corbusier to see her installation at the Bar sous le Toit filled with tubular steel furniture at the Salon d'Automne. Her creation, Nuage Bookshelf, impresses him resulting in an invitation by Le Corbusier to join his studio at 35, rue de Sèvres to design furniture and interiors.[9] 1928 Designs three chairs with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret (the LC2 Grand Confort armchair, the B301 reclining chair and the B306 chaise longue) for the studio’s architectural projects. 1929 Creates a model modern apartment in glass and tubular steel to be exhibited as Equipment d’Habitation (Living Equipment) at the Salon d’Automne. 1930 Travels to Moscow for a Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) conference and designs fixtures for the Pavilion Suisse at the Cité Universitaire in Paris. 1932 Starts work on the Salvation Army headquarters project in Paris. 1933 Travels to Moscow and Athens to participate in CIAM conferences. 1934 Designs the furniture and interior fixtures for Le Corbusier’s new apartment on rue Nungesser-et-Coli. 1937 Leaves Le Corbusier’s studio to collaborate with the artist Fernand Léger on a pavilion for the 1937 Paris Exhibition and to work on a ski resort in Savoie. 1939 When World War II begins, she leaves Savoie to return to Paris and to design prefabricated buildings with Jean Prouvé and Pierre Jeanneret. 1940 Sails for Japan where she has been appointed as an advisor on Industrial Design to the Ministry of Trade and Industry. 1942 Forced to leave Japan as an "undesirable alien" but is trapped by the naval blockade and spends the rest of the war in Vietnam, where she marries her second husband, Jacques Martin, and gives birth to a daughter, Pernette. 1946 Returns to France and revives her career as an independent designer and her collaboration with Jean Prouvé. 1947 Works with Fernand Léger on the design of Hôpital Saint-Lo. 1950 Designs a prototype kitchen for Le Corbusier’s Unité d'Habitation apartment building in Marseille. 1951 Organises the French section of the Triennale di Milano. 1953 Collaborates on design of the Hotel de France in Conakry, Guinea 1957 Designs the League of Nations building for the United Nations in Geneva. 1959 Works with Le Corbusier and the Brazilian architect Lucio Costa on the interior of their Maison du Brésil at the Cité Universitaire in Paris. 1960 Collaborates with Ernő Goldfinger on the design of the French Tourist Office on London’s Piccadilly. 1962 Begins a long-running project to design a series of ski resorts in Savoie. 1985 Retrospective of her work at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. 1998 Publication of her autobiography, Une Vie de Création, and presentation of a retrospective at the Design Museum in London. 1999 Dies in Paris. RECENTLY VIEWED Outstanding Pair of 1.83cm Diameter Round Mirrors. Outstanding pair of Early 19th Cent Walnut Console Tables. Fine Pair of 1940s French Ebonised Side tables. 18th Century English Mirror. Aplique Serge Mouille "Araignée", circa 1955. "Charlotte Perriand" Cansado Bench, circa 1950. Good set of Eight, circa 1900 French Dining chairs in Leather. Wonderful Pair of 1930s Italian cold cast terracotta bust of Bacchus and a Nymph. 18th century Danish Rococo commode of small proportions. 1950s Adjustable standing light with the original shades. Superb 1940s French ebonized desk in the Louis XVI taste. Good Pair of 1920s French wingback armchairs. Early 19th century French ebonized commode. 19th century English country house sofa. Late 19th century English ebonized desk with bronze mounts. Outstanding pair of 1.83cm diameter round mirrors. Outstanding pair of early 19th century walnut console tables. Fine pair of 1940s French ebonized side tables. 18th century English mirror. Aplique Serge Mouille "Araignée", circas 1955. "Charlotte Perriand" cansado bench, circa 1950. Prevnext.

Dimensions:
Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Width: 74.1 in (188.22 cm)Depth: 27.3 in (69.35 cm)
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1950
Condition:
Seller Location:
Gloucestershire, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 101891stDibs: LU89256048003

Vintage 1960s Mauritanian Mid-Century Modern Daybeds

Materials

Wood

$53,100

H 16 in W 31.5 in D 75 in

Charlotte Perriand Mid-Century Modern Wood Metal Cansado Bench, circa 1950

By Charlotte Perriand

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Bench designed by Charlotte Perriand, circa 1950. Edited by Steph Simon (France) Wood, metal frame legs has been redone according the original. Provenance: Cansado, Mauritania...

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