With its undulating, futuristic and playful form, it’s easy to see why filmmaker Stanley Kubrick chose to use Olivier Mourgue’s iconic Djinn chair in his 1968 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. But the French artist and industrial designer is known for much more than the Space Age Djinn. From his whimsical Flower floor lamps to his anthropomorphic Bouloum chair, Mourgue is renowned as an important contributor to the 1960s Pop art era of modern furniture design.
Born in Paris in 1939, Mourgue grew up in an apartment filled with Empire-style antique furniture, which he derided as having “nothing to do with life.” He later studied art at Paris’s École Boulle, graduating in 1958. He then attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs.
In 1959, his former teacher at École Boulle, Marcel Merpillat, encouraged him to present a chair he designed at a competition hosted by furniture manufacturer Airborne. Airborne founder Charles Bernard was impressed by Mourgue’s design, which featured a leather-upholstered seat attached to a chrome steel frame; it was produced by the company under the name the Joker. Mourgue designed several other mid-century modern pieces for Airborne throughout the 1960s, including the Whist chaise longue, the rotund Montreal chair, the unique Cubique chair and the Djinn series, which first appeared in 1964.
In addition to Airborne, Mourgue has designed for furniture manufacturers such as Disderot and Prisunic, and collaborated with British architect and designer Sir Norman Foster and Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa.
Mourgue worked for Le Mobilier National to design the French Pavilion for Montreal’s Expo ‘67. In 1968, he received the International Design Award from the Institute of Interior Designers in New York for the Djinn lounge chair. He also exhibited several of his works at Expo ‘70 in Osaka, Japan.
Today, Mourgue’s pieces are part of the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Olivier Mourgue seating, lighting and more.
Olivier Mourgue Model 2093-A Wall or Ceiling Lamp for Disderot
By Olivier Mourgue, Disderot
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Olivier Mourgue Model 2093-a wall or ceiling lamp for Disderot. Originally designed in 1969, this sculptural lamp is a newly produced numbered edition made in France by Disderot wi...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
DESIGN Midcentury Wall or Ceiling Lamp, Flushmount, 1970s
By Osvětlovací sklo n.p., Valašské Meuiříčí, Ivan Jakes
Located in Praha, CZ
- Czechoslovakia,around 1970s - perfect original condition - new electricity jr
Metal
$1,148
H 5.91 in Dm 10.63 in
Sergio Mazza Italian "Sigma" Wall Lamp or Ceiling Light for Artemide, 1960s
By Sergio Mazza, Artemide
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous Mid-Century Modern "Sigma" nickel-plated brass and Murano glass wall lamp. Sergio Mazza designed this elegant ceiling lamp in Italy during the 1960s for Artemide. Fully or...
Metal, Nickel, Brass
Olivier Mourgue for Disderot Flower Lamp
By Disderot, Olivier Mourgue
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Olivier Mourgue for Disderot, floor lamp, model '2093-150', chrome-plated metal, aluminum, France, design 1967. An exquisitely distinctive floor lamp designed to captivate. Concei...
Metal, Aluminum
Donut wall or ceiling lamp by Doria
By Doria Leuchten Germany, Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Helena Tynell, J.T. Kalmar, Glashütte Limburg
Located in München, DE
Stunning donut wall or ceiling lamp from the 1960s. The design creates a spectacular light. High quality. Manufacturer: Doria Condition: Very good vintage condition with slight si...
Metal
$1,010
H 7.09 in Dm 9.45 in
Castiglioni Red Metal "Light Ball" Wall or Ceiling Lamp for Flos, Italy 1970s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing Mid-Century “Light Ball” wall or ceiling lamp in vibrant red enameled metal and opaline glass. This iconic flush mount light was designed by Achille Castiglioni and manufactu...
Metal
Chromed Ufo Wall or Ceiling Lamp from Sölken
By Motoko Ishii, Cosack Leuchten, Sölken Leuchten, Staff Leuchten, Charlotte Perriand
Located in München, DE
Very nice wall or ceiling lamp from the 1970s. Nice reduced design. Very high quality processing. Manufacturer: Soelken Condition: Very good vintage condition with slight signs of...
Metal
$970 / item
H 5.91 in Dm 11.03 in
Rare 'Crystal Palace' Wall or Ceiling Lamp for RAAK, 1970s, 3 available
By RAAK
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This very special and hard to find lamp, the 'Crystal Palace', was made by RAAK in the 1970s. It is made of crystal glass and the crystal 'fingers' are silver-colored at the back. Th...
Crystal, Silver
$2,085 / item
H 31.5 in W 13.78 in D 5.12 in
Model 2093-80, Olivier Mourgue 1968 Standing/Table 'Flower' Lamp
By Olivier Mourgue, Pierre Disderot
Located in London, GB
Model 2093 lamp by Olivier Mourgue initially manufactured by Disderot in 1967. In chromed metal and raw aluminum. Silver cap bulb provided. Light loose of chrome veneer on the base. ...
Chrome
French 1950's 6 Globe Wall or Ceiling Lamp by Lunel
By Maison Lunel
Located in Hanover, MA
This large scale unusual French modernist fixture can be mounted either to a wall or ceiling and can be positioned pointed in either direction. The elbow form enameled steel arm wit...
Brass
$4,500Sale Price|40% Off
H 38 in W 5 in D 18.5 in
French 1950's Wall or Ceiling Lamp by Royal Lumiere for Lunel
By R. Lunel
Located in Hanover, MA
SATURDAY SALE Nov 22 2019 This French 1950's 8 bulb lamp is of extraordinary construction and versatility allowing it to mounted either as a wall lamp or ceiling fixture. Matte bl...
Brass, Steel
Rare Asymmetric Ceiling or Wall Lamp by Maison Lunel
By Arlus
Located in Hanover, MA
Royal Lumiere for Maison Lunel seems to be tipping its hat to Angelo Lelii of Arredoluce but this fixture is all French. Designed, circa 1953 with a tapered brass box back or ceiling plate for versatile mounting options. Four elongated enameled steel arms terminating in a mottled enameled aluminum perforated dish...
Brass, Steel
$2,724 / item
H 59.06 in W 13.78 in D 3.94 in
Model 2093 Olivier Mourgue 1968 Standing Lamp 'Double Flower' Available Now
By Pierre Disderot, Olivier Mourgue
Located in London, GB
The standing flower designed by Olivier Mourgue for Disderot, 1968. This standing flower lamp with reflecting bulbs and 2 bent petals has flowers positioned on a chrome wire with a r...
Chrome