Executed circa 1956.

Galerie Patrick Seguin, Paris

Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand: Un art d'habiter 1903-1959, Norma, Paris, 2005, pp. 393, 403, 405, 430, another example illustrated  
Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand et le Japon, Norma, Paris, 2008, pp. 228, 236, another example illustrated
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, A Passion for Jean Prouvé, From furniture to architecture, The Laurence and Patrick Seguin collection, exh. cat. 2013, Edition Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli & Galerie Patrick Seguin, Torino, p. 25, another example illustrated

This work is in very good condition. Small chipping marks to two of the top wood grids. Varnished.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Patrick Seguin X NIGO^®

I met NIGO^® at the end of the 1990s. He was traveling to Paris and came to my gallery. There, for the first time he was able to see Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand furniture.

I had never heard of him at that time. I was struck by his American hip hop style and the diamonds on his teeth. It was rather unusual for a Japanese p🅰erson at that time.

NIGO^® barely spoke English and was surrounded by an entourage of assistants, translators, designers, friends… I was drawn to his character and we immediatಞely clicked. He instantly fell for Prouvé’s furniture and bought many pieces.

We saw each other again in Tokyo in 2004 while I was organising an exhibition on Prouvé, Perriand, Le Corbusier at Comme des Garçons/Corso Como. He invited me to come to his house to see his collection. Everybody knows that NIGO^® is a great collector, but the feeling you have when you enter his house is indescribable. From a Lamborghini with open 𝐆scissor doors to an entire room dedicated to Vuitton accessories – belt, trunks, bags🐬 and limited editions of footballs – an amazing collection!

His large living-room was filled with tables, chairs, lamps, benches, and boℱokshelves by Prouvé and Perriand, echoing his other collections of Vuitton, Mangas, ceramics, antique objects or contemporary works, from the most incongruous to the rarest, all perfectly displayed according to the greatest knolling.

I think he immediately liked Prouvé’s furniture for its abil♔ity to create a dialogue with other objects from different periods;♎ maybe the timelessness of Prouve’s production is what fascinated him most.

NIGO^® is without any doubt th💫e most eclectic and enthusiastic collectorꦬ I have ever met.

Patrick Seguin

July 2014


On Charlotte Perriand and Jean Prouvé

French architect and designer, Charlotte Perriand, is one of the only women, along with Eileen Gray, to be considered a key contributor to the Modernist Movement whose creations still impact our daily environment. One of the first members of the Union of Modern Artists in 1929, Perriand was deeply concerned with issues of public facilities, housing and their functionality. As a collaborator of Le Corbusier, she also worked with Jean Prouvé on various public commissions. Notably, she started incorporating new materials of her time, such as metal, into her designs. Invited to Japan in 1940, as an adviser to the Industrial Art Institute, Perriand’s practice was profoundly influenced by the Japanese culture. This source of inspiration was reflected in many ꧃of her post-war works, ༒and initiated the return of wood in her furniture.  

Also a French architect and designer, and one of the first members of the Union of Modern Artists, Jean Prouvé is the son of a renowned French artist of the early 20^th century, Victor Prouvé. He learned the traditional techniques of metal molding before founding, in 1931, the Ateliers Jean Prouvé. With the Ateliers, Prouvé was able to think both as an engineer and an industrialist, and began creating furniture on a large scale for ൩private, and later, public spaces. His standard models could easily be assembled, and from a few basic elements, he could mass produce furniture to supply for public facilities and housing units. Always interested in new techniques, he extended that process to the revolutionary pre-fabricated metal building system.