Art Deco Mahogany Shelf or Bookcase by Eugène Printz, 1932

French cabinetmaker Eugene Printz taught himself how to craft furniture by copying pieces he saw in museums. Using his father’s workshop as a base, Printz developed a talent for making Art Deco furniture out of wood. His pieces have found homes in notable private residences, including those of French haute-couture fashion designer Jeanne Lanvin, the Princess de la Tour d’Auvergne and American pop star Madonna.

Printz achieved acclaim in 1925 at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts — the design fair that introduced the Art Deco style to the world — alongside French architect Pierre Chareau. A year later, Printz exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Decorators, Salon d’Automne and Salon des Tuileries, solidifying his reputation as a masterful furniture designer and cabinetmaker. His work was admired for its use of rare woods, which included mahogany, walnut and most notably palm, which required immense skill and practice to perfect.

In addition to his exhibitions in the 1920s, Printz displayed work at the 1932 Colonial Exhibition and the 1937 Pavillon de Artistes Décorateurs. He designed works for Paris’s Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Decorative Arts, while receiving multiple commissions from French the national service agency Mobilier National and the city of Paris. Printz also created theater props for French actor and theater director Louis Jouvet.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Eugene Printz storage case pieces, tables and seating.