Charlotte PERRIAND (1903–1999) - Lot 249

Charlotte PERRIAND (1903–1999) Model No. 21 armchair, circa 1960, made of ash with a sloping backrest and straw-filled seat, resting on four shell-shaped legs joined by double profiled connecting bars and detached armrests with slightly curved cuffs. H.: 78.5 cm. - W.: 54.5 cm. - D.: 64.5 cm. (Signs of wear, discoloration, scuffs, scratches) Bibliography: - Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand, un art d’habiter, Edition Norma, 2005, similar model reproduced on p. 275. - Marie Laure Jousset, Charlotte Perriand Exhibition Catalog, Edition Centre Georges Pompidou, 2005, similar model reproduced on p. 109. - Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand: The Complete Works, Volume 2, 1940–1945, Edition Norma, 2015, similar model reproduced on p. 171. - Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand and Japan, Norma Publishing 2008, similar model reproduced on p. 189. “Architect, urban planner, designer, photographer, artistic director, set designer, advocate of art for all… I do not define myself; that would be a limitation,” declared Charlotte Perriand. The simplicity of forms and the honesty of materials have always guided her work. The No. 21 armchair we present in this lot is a perfect illustration of this. Crafted with artisanal expertise, this model skillfully combines wood and straw. Designed in 1935 by Charlotte Perriand, it was subsequently produced by several manufacturers, including L’Équipement de la Maison, BCB, Steph Simon, and Sentou. Our example, dating from 1960–1965, comes from the furnishings of a hotel in Savoie. Crafted from ash, it features a seat and backrest upholstered in straw. Its shell-shaped legs are connected by double, contoured crossbars that reinforce the structure’s stability. The delicately rounded armrests naturally invite touch and reflect the designer’s attention to the sensory relationship with the material. Charlotte Perriand once poetically remarked: “Wood is something to be caressed; it is as soft as a woman’s thighs.” This sensitivity to the material, combined with a constant pursuit of simplicity and comfort, gives this armchair its timeless quality.