Maurice Dufrène, Pair of Art Deco Armchairs, France, 1925

Name: Maurice Dufrène, Pair of Art Deco Armchairs, France, 1925
Brand: Maurice Dufrêne
Rating: 5 (10 reviews)

About the Item

After 1910 Dufrêne’s work took on the forms of neoclassicism, and at last, an aesthetic that would coalesce into the Art Deco. While he didn’t shy from metal, ceramic, glass, or fabric, Dufrêne executed most of his designs without excessive frills or ornament—often simply, in lush woods like mahogany. A deep respect for craftsmanship is his work’s fundamental characteristic, and his furniture is as functional as it is elegant. In 1921 the Galeries Lafayette entrusted Dufrêne with the Maîtrise workshop, which was created to compete with Guilleré’s Primavera and Follot's Pomone. His exhibit at the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris helped solidify what is now considered the quintessential Art Deco style. These chairs were created for the tea room inside this pavilion. In addition to that of La Maîtrise, Dufrêne designed a few of the exposition’s luxury boutiques, a music salon, and the living room of the Ambassade Francaise pavilion. He was the artistic director of La Maîtrise from 1920 to 1941. These chairs have been reupholstered in Dedar fabric (not pictured here). Published: L’Art Vivant, #18, p18. September 15, 1925.

Creator:
Maurice Dufrêne (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)Depth: 19 in (48.26 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Art Deco (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Upholstery,Wood,Silvered
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
1920-1929
Date of Manufacture:
1925
Condition:
Reupholstered. Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Upholstery is now different -- please send request for current photos.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: DUF 051stDibs: LU781333433922

Shop All Maurice Dufrêne

Maurice Dufrêne

Maurice Dufrene was born in Paris in 1876. He studied at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs.In 1899, at the age of just 23, he became director and manager of La Maison Moderne, an association of artists who worked together to create designs which could be produced in multiples. These artists were van de Velde, Horta, Plumet and Selmersheim.His work was first shown at salons in 1902, and from 1903 he regularly exhibited at Salon d’Automne and Salons of Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. He quickly moved to the forefront of modern design and was with Leon Jallot, among the group of French designers which became known as the Constructeurs, before the First World War. Dufrene had worked on Meier-Graefe's 'La Maison Moderne' around 1900 designing in the Art Nouveau style.By 1910, his work adapted more simplified forms using more substantial materials and construction. In 1904, he became a founding member of the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, through which he exhibited for thirty years.He taught for a while at Ecole Boulle, and returned to design in 1919 producing neat and logical designs embellished with recurring carved scroll motifs and decorated with marquetry floral medallions in boxwood, ebony and ivory. In 1921 he joined the studio La Maitrise, as Artistic Director, and began a period of prolific production. The full flowering of his talent became apparent in his refined furniture designs and complete interiors. His inspiration was taken from 18th and 19th Century designs, with a modern approach. At the 1925 Exposition, Dufrene was everywhere. As well as the La Maitrise pavilion, he designed the 'petit salon' in the 'Ambassade Francaise', a boutique for the furrier Jungman, and the row of shoes on the Pont Alexandre Ill. Dufrene's stylistic development continued into the 1930s when he experimented with steel and glass. Adapting quickly to the Art Deco movement, the 1930s were just as busy for him. He died in Nogent-sur-Marne in 1955. His interiors ranged eclectically from townhouses to avant-garde to glass, metal and mirrors, to commissions from Mobilier National for embassies and the Palais de l’Elysée in Paris. He would remain at La Maîtrise until 1952. Today much of his work goes unidentified.