Sofa "442" by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, the Netherlands, 1960s
View Similar Items
Sofa "442" by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, the Netherlands, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Artifort (Manufacturer),Pierre Paulin (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 83.47 in (212 cm)Depth: 31.5 in (80 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. The sofa is upholstered in brown leather with beautiful patina. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.
- Seller Location:Utrecht, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 888800941stDibs: LU2947330999832
Pierre Paulin
Pierre Paulin introduced a fresh breeze into French furniture design in the 1960s and ’70s, fostering a sleek new space-age aesthetic. Along with Olivier Mourgue, Paulin developed furnishings with flowing lines and almost surreal naturalistic forms. And his work became such a byword for chic, forward-looking design and emerging technologies that two French presidents commissioned him to create environments in the Élysée Palace in Paris.
Paulin was born in Paris to a family of artists and designers. He initially sought to become a ceramist and sculptor and was studying in the town of Vallauris near the Côte d'Azur — a center for pottery making, where Pablo Picasso spent his postwar summers crafting ceramics — but broke his hand in a fight. He enrolled at the École Camondo, the Paris interior design school. There, Paulin was strongly influenced by the work of Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Arne Jacobsen, as was reflected in his early creations for the manufacturer Thonet-France. It was at the Dutch firm Artifort, which he joined in 1958, where Paulin blossomed. In a few years, he produced several of his signature designs based on abstract organic shapes. These include the Butterfly chair (1963), which features a tubular steel frame and slung leather, and a group of striking seating pieces made with steel frames covered in polyurethane foam and tight jersey fabric: the Mushroom (1960), Ribbon (1966) and Tongue (1967) chairs.
In 1971, the Mobilier National — a department of France’s Ministry of Culture in charge of furnishing top-tier government offices and embassies — commissioned Paulin to redesign President Georges Pompidou’s private apartment in the Élysée Palace. In three years, Paulin transformed the staid rooms into futuristic environments with curved, fabric-clad walls and furnishings such as bookcases made from an arrangement of smoked-glass U shapes, flower-like pedestal chairs and pumpkin-esque loungers. Ten years later, the Mobilier National called on Paulin again, this time to furnish the private office of President François Mitterand. Paulin responded with an angular, postmodern take on neoclassical furniture, pieces that looked surprisingly at home in the paneled, Savonnerie-carpeted Louis XVI rooms. As those two Élysée Palace projects show, Paulin furniture works well both in a total decor or when used as a counterpoint to traditional pieces. You will see on 1stDibs that Pierre Paulin’s creations have a unique personality: bright and playful yet sophisticated and suave.
Artifort
The sterling reputation that Artifort enjoys isn’t limited to the innovative upholstery and fluid, organic shapes for which its products are widely known — the legendary Dutch brand’s vintage seating and other furniture is also celebrated for its embodiment of functionality, comfort and quality. These are among the principles that underpin the philosophy toward modern furniture design at Artifort, which has been at the crossroads of furniture and art for over 125 years.
Prior to 1928, the year Artifort officially became a brand, Jules Wagemans had a small upholstery business in Maastricht, the Netherlands. After setting up in 1890, his son, Henricus Wagemans, broadened the scope of the company to include furniture production. By the end of the 1920s, their showroom in Amsterdam had made them a recognizable brand across the Netherlands.
Then named H. Wagemans & Van Tuien, the company changed its name to Artifort after the economic recession. Artifort came from two Latin words meaning “art” and “strong” — a perfect description for the style of each design and the manufacturer’s intention to create sturdy furnishings. Artifort’s reputation for durable armchairs and sofas endures, and vintage editions of this seating are now family heirlooms in many homes.
Artifort became a magnet for high-profile and up-and-coming designers alike. Many furniture designers’ careers began thanks to collaborations with Artifort, such as Dutch industrial and jewelry designer Gijs Bakker and Indonesian-born designer Kho Liang Ie. Also known for designing the interiors at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, Kho Liang Ie was an aesthetic consultant at Artifort and used his expertise to turn the company into a world-class brand. Perhaps his largest contribution, however, was attracting the talents of French furniture and interior designer Pierre Paulin and English furniture designer Geoffrey D. Harcourt.
Paulin’s bright and colorful lounge chairs, such as his Orange Slice chair and Mushroom chair, are still central to the Artifort identity. The revered designer not only introduced new construction techniques to Artifort furniture, but contributed fresh materials, Pop art colors and dazzling shapes to the mid-century modern era as a whole, while Harcourt deserves credit for popularizing Artifort internationally and extending their reach into foreign markets.
Another talent boom in the 1990s at Artifort yielded collaborations with Jasper Morrison, Wolfgang Mezger and René Holten. Iranian designer Khodi Feiz was named art director in 2014 and has continued the tradition of recruiting top designers such as Claesson Koivisto Rune, Ilse Crawford and Luca Nichetto.
Find a collection of vintage Artifort lounge chairs, tables and more on 1stDibs.
- Rare "Eared" Lounge Chair by Bengt Ruda for Artifort, The Netherlands, 1960sBy Artifort, Bengt RudaLocated in Utrecht, NLThis cosy midcentury lounge chair by Bengt Ruda is an exceptional find, as this “eared” version is one of the designer’s rarest designs. The combination of the Swedish designer’s IDE...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Carl Malmsten "Samsas" Sofa for O.H. Sjögren, Sweden 1960sBy Carl Malmsten, O.H. SjögrenLocated in Utrecht, NL“Samsas” is for many the most associated series with Carl Malmsten. The designer devoted his life to the renewal of traditional Swedish craftsmanship, inspired by Swedish country man...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Skrindan Sofa by Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist for OPE Möbler Jönköping, Sweden 1960sBy Kerstin Horlin HolmquistLocated in Utrecht, NLThe “Skrindan” sofa model was designed in 1967 by iconic Swedish designer, Kerstin Hörlin-Homquist. Hörlin-Holmquist had a unique and humanistic design vision, and thanks to her unco...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Carl Malmsten Oak "Visingsö" Sofa for O.H. Sjögren, Sweden, 1960sBy Carl MalmstenLocated in Utrecht, NLThe famous “Visingsö” series demonstrates Carl Malmsten’s fine sense of proportion, line tension and balance between the surfaces, and how skilfully he carried in the heritage of tra...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsBouclé, Oak
- Leif Hansen "Model 62" Sofa for Kronen Møbelfabrikken, Denmark, 1960sBy Kronen, Leif HansenLocated in Utrecht, NLLeif Hansen’s Model 62 sofa is commonly referred to as the “Geisha” and was designed in 1959. This model is a strikingly elegant example of Danish modernism’s streamlined, luxurious aesthetic appeal to contemporary eyes. This three-seater sofa is made of two types of exotic woods and dressed in a premium light fabric. Its character is created by three main elements: the visually sectioned, fully upholstered body, the wooden accents on the arms, and the distinctively shaped legs. It says a lot when a model is representative not only of a designer, but also of a manufactory. So is the case with this Geisha sofa...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Illum Wikkelsø Model V11 Leather Sofa for Holger Christiansen, Denmark, 1960sBy Holger Christiansen, Illum WikkelsøLocated in Utrecht, NLThis freestanding sofa, better known as “Model V11” is considered among the masterpiece designs of Illum Wikkelsø. The Danish designer created the “V11” series in 1965 whilst working...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Pierre Paulin sofa 442/3 Artifort Netherlands 1962By Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in Roosendaal, Noord BrabantNice minimalistic model 442/3 sofa designed by Pierre Paulin and manufactured by Artifort, The Netherlands 1962. This is for a three-seater sofa model 442/3 which is the largest from...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Mid Century Model 442 Sofa by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, 1960sBy Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in Oud Beijerland, NLStunning Pierre Paulin "442" Sofa for Artifort, designed in the 1960s. This lovely 3-seat sofa is also fabricated in the 60s The combination of steel and the upholstery give thi...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Midcentury 2-Seat Model 442 Sofa by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, 1960sBy Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in Oud Beijerland, NLStunning Pierre Paulin "442" Sofa for Artifort, designed in the 1960s. This lovely sofa is fabricated in the 1980s The combination of steel and the upholstery give this sofa the...Category
Vintage 1980s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Pierre Paulin, ABCD Sofa, Red Velvet, Artifort, Netherlands, 1960sBy Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in High Point, NCA red velvet ABCD sofa designed by Pierre Paulin and produced by Artifort, Netherlands, 1960s. Originally sourced from Turner Limited, 305 East 63rd street, New York.Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsVelvet
- Pierre Paulin, ABCD Sofa, Purple Velvet, Artifort, Netherlands, 1960sBy Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in High Point, NCA purple velvet ABCD sofa designed by Pierre Paulin and produced by Artifort, Netherlands, 1960s. Originally sourced from Turner Limited, 305 East 63rd street, New York.Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsVelvet
- Pierre Paulin, Rare Sofa Model 442 for Artifort, 1962By Artifort, Pierre PaulinLocated in Paris, FRHere is the two-seat model sofa from the 442 series designed by Pierre Paulin and manufactured by Artifort, Netherlands, 1962. Original Piece from the 1960s Newly re-upholstered in the traditional way by the best French craftsmen, we used a high quality wool Bouclé fabric from the French House Nobilis. Excellent condition. Biography - Pierre Paulin (1927-2009) Born in 1927 in Paris, Pierre Paulin is a French designer and interior designer. After studying at the Camondo School in Paris, with Maxime Old as a teacher, Pierre Paulin incorporated Marcel Gascoin’s studio in 1953. That same year, he exhibited his first designs which met a great success, at the “Salon des Arts Ménagers”. In 1954, Thonet France started to manufacture his creations. In 1959, Pierre Paulin began to work for the Dutch manufacturer Artifort, for whom he designed a range of bright colours, supple and curved shapes seats, upholstered with jersey. It was the beginning of a long and profitable collaboration that gave birth to many design icons. In 1967, he laid out Christian Dior’s office. In 1970, he started a collaboration with “Mobilier National” for whom he designed “Amphis” sofa, made out of three draught excluders built in and waving. Consecration came in 1971, when he took on the realisation of President Georges Pompidou’s private apartments at the Élysée Palace, assuring long-term recognition. François Mitterrand also drew on him in 1984, to conceive the interior design of his presidential office. Later, he renovated the dining room for the President Jacques Chirac. In 1975, he founded along with his wife the AD/SA agency, in which Roger Tallon associated in 1984. This company allowed them to work with great French firms such as Calor, Villeroy & Bosch, Citroën and SNCF and to arrange Paris-Gare de Lyon...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsChrome, Steel
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
At Château La Coste, Pierre Paulin’s Visionary Home Concept Finally Comes to Life
Now synonymous with 1960s and ’70s French chic, the designer conceived his modular modernist furnishings to change the way we decorate.
Exploring Our Current Obsession with Sixties Style
A new exhibition in Philadelphia stars a complex decade that continues to inspire.