Although he was Romanian by birth, architect and designer Jean Gillon’s heart and soul belonged to his adopted country of Brazil. The country’s culture and revered architecture served as a muse for his mid-century furniture designs. Today Gillon ranks among the most interesting figures in Brazilian modernism, which is characterized by sensual forms and beautifully handcrafted chairs, tables and cabinets built from exotic hardwoods.
Gillon was born in Iasi and graduated from the city’s George Enescu National University of the Arts. He then moved to Paris, where he studied tapestry, worked at the newspaper Le Monde as a cartoonist and moonlighted as a set designer for the Paris Opera Ballet. He eventually left Paris for Vienna, where he studied architecture at the School of Industrial Arts, known today as the University of Applied Arts. In the early 1950s, Gillon was a visiting lecturer at London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts.
In 1956, Gillon moved with his wife and two daughters to São Paulo, where he developed a passion for Brazilian architecture, namely the work of modernists such as celebrated architect Lina Bo Bardi and designer José Zanine Caldas. Gillon took on interior decorating projects and formed the Fábrica de Móveis Cidam, which later became Italma Wood Art, in order to design furniture for his clients. Gillon’s furnishings, produced at Italma and also in collaboration with manufacturers such as Probel, were immensely popular and could be found in the planned capital city of Brasilia, a project launched in 1956 by Oscar Niemeyer.
Gillon designed everything from bowls and baskets to centerpieces, tables and other objects and furniture. However, he was best known for his lounge chairs and sofas, including his iconic Jangada chair. Named for the Portuguese word for traditional Brazilian fishing boats, the award-winning Jangada was framed in jacaranda in the late 1960s. The welcoming seat of Gillon’s visually striking trapezoidal lounge chair features plush leather cushions that are supported by nylon fishing rope.
Gillon continued to produce furniture for Italma Wood Art until he retired in 2003. He died in 2007, and today Gillon’s pieces remain highly covetable among interior designers and collectors of modern furniture.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Jean Gillon seating, decorative objects and serveware.
Rare set of 10 Jean Gillon dining chairs, Brazil, 1960s
By Jean Gillon
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare set of 10 dining room chairs in original black leather by Jean Gillon, Brazil, 1960s. Matching dining room table available.
Leather
$29,223 / set
Jean Gillon Déc chairs Italma Woodart Brazil 1968
By Jean Gillon
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
These four 'Déc' arm chairs, designed by the visionary Jean Gillon and meticulously crafted by Italma Woodart in Brazil in 1968, stand as rare treasures of mid-century design. This h...
Leather, Rosewood
Rare Jean Gillon Dining Table, Brazil, 1960s
By Jean Gillon
Located in Stockholm, SE
A striking example of Brazilian modernism, this large dining table / conference table was designed by Jean Gillon in the 1960s. Bold yet refined, it reflects the sculptural elegance ...
Leather, Rosewood
$2,900 / set
H 39 in W 16.5 in D 16.5 in
A set of 10 1960s Danish Modern Walnut Ladder Back Dining Chairs
Located in Charleston, SC
Here we offer a set of 10 Yugoslavian Danish-modern style ladder back dining chairs. These are hard to identify because of the time and place they were made. They have 4 double run...
Upholstery, Beech, Walnut
$11,249 / set
H 29.53 in W 23.63 in D 20.48 in
1960s Very Rare Erik Kierkegaard Teak Dining Chairs, Set of 8
By Erik Kierkegaard
Located in Praha, CZ
- Very rare model originally designed for the boat named Lalandia in Denmark - Made of solid teak - Newly upholstered - The wooden parts have been refurbished - Some of them are s...
Fabric, Teak, Upholstery, Wood
$5,995
H 31.25 in W 30.5 in D 35.5 in
Jean Gillon for Italma Amazonas Mid Century Lounge Chair and Ottoman
By Italma, Jean Gillon
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jean Gillon for Italma Amazonas Mid Century Lounge Chair and Ottoman The chair measures: 30.5 wide x 35.5 deep x 31.25 high, with a seat height of 15 inches and arm height/chair cle...
Leather, Wood
$15,995 / set
H 32.75 in W 35 in D 41 in
Brazilian Jangada Rosewood & Leather Sling Chair with Ottoman by Jean Gillon
By Sergio Rodrigues, Jean Gillon, Percival Lafer
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Anchored in the bold horizons of 1960s Brazilian modernism, the Jangada lounge chair and ottoman by Jean Gillon stands as a testament to artful craftsmanship, organic structure, and ...
Leather, Rosewood
Jean Gillon "Rodeio" Easy Chair, Brazil, 1960s
By Jean Gillon
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced in the 1960s by Wood Art Brazil. Jean Gillon (1919–2007) was born in Lasi, Romania. In 1956, already possessing a consistent portfolio, he moved to São Paulo, where he dev...
Leather
$36,000 / set
H 37 in W 17 in D 18 in
Brazilian Modern Set of Ten 1960s Dining Chairs in Rosewood, Alexandre Rapoport
By Rapoport
Located in New York, NY
This rare set of ten dining chairs, designed in the 1960s by Alexandre Rapoport, exemplifies the refined elegance and structural intelligence of Brazilian mid-century modern design. ...
Hardwood, Cane
$42,000 / set
H 36.62 in W 18.9 in D 21.26 in
Set of 10 Rosewood Dining Chairs, Celina Decorações, Brazilian Midcentury, 1960s
By Celina Decoracoes
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous set is composed of ten chairs produced by the Brazilian company Celina Decorações in the 1960s. Chairs are made of solid Rosewood, with seats and backs upholstered with 100% Organic Silk fabric from our collection Bossa Fabrics. The restoration process followed historical references published in magazines from the period. Celina Decorações signed one of the most modern lines of Brazilian furniture in the 1960s. Based in Rio de Janeiro, the Celina Decorações factory imposed high-quality standards, maintaining handcrafted characteristics. With a color pallet rooted in natural shades, our Fabric collection tells a bit about Brazilian biodiversity through raw and natural materials and artisanal processes. This fabric color was made using Mango tree...
Wood, Silk
$22,443 / set
H 36.23 in W 16.15 in D 16.93 in
Colombo Sanguineti set of 10 "Lucciola" dining chairs, Chiavari, Italy, 1960s
By Colombo Sanguineti, Chiavari
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
A beautiful set of ten “Lucciola” in ebonised cherrywood with gold leaf detail, produced by Sanguineti Colombo, Chiavari, early 1960s There are chairs that stand out not just for th...
Gold Leaf
$4,500
H 29.5 in W 32.75 in D 32.25 in
1970s Copa Lounge Chair by Jean Gillon for Italma in Solid Imbuia
By Jean Gillon
Located in Victoria, BC
Designed by renowned architect and designer Jean Gillon and produced by Italma during the 1970s, the Copa Lounge Chair is one of the defining expressions of Brazilian Modern design. ...
Leather, Imbuia
Jangada Chair by Jean Gillon, 1960's, Brazilian Modern
By Jean Gillon
Located in Culver City, CA
The Jangada Chair: A Brazilian Masterpiece With Stories to Tell Let’s talk about the Jangada Chair; a stunning piece of functional art that’s as much a conversation starter as it is ...
Leather, Rosewood
Armchair by Jean Gillon, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1970s
By Jean Gillon
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A hallmark of Jean Gillon’s sensual and humanistic design philosophy, this 1970s armchair exemplifies his masterful fusion of structure and comfort. The sculptural jacarandá frame, w...
Leather, Rosewood
$9,500
H 35.5 in W 33 in D 35 in
Fabulous Brazilian Rosewood Jean Gillon Lounge Chair and Ottoman for Probel
By Jean Gillon
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Fabulous Brazilian rosewood Jean Gillon Lounge Chair and Ottoman for Probel. This set is in remarkable vintage condition-came from a million dollar mansion in Washington D.C. The cha...
Leather, Rosewood
Set of Four Jean Gillon Rosewood and Leather Armchairs
By Jean Gillon
Located in Dallas, TX
A beautiful set of four solid rosewood and leather armchairs by Jean Gillon for Italma Wood Art.