Pair of "Crosspiece" Table Lamps in Brass by Jean-Michel Frank

Jean-Michel Frank (1895-1941) was one of the most influential and original designers of the 20th century. Beginning in the 1920s, he developed a following among the Parisian cognoscenti for his elegantly understated furnishings and interiors. Typical of his designs was a radical simplification of form, rendered in texturally rich materials such as limed oak, parchment,leather, and metals.

Frank soon developed an international following, thanks in part to influential tastemakers such as Syrie Maughm in England and Francis Elkins in the United States that helped to nurture local interest in his designs. In Argentina, Ignacio Pirovano, interior designer and curator at the National Museum of Decorative Arts, proved to be an effective champion of Frank’s work. Pirovano co-founded the firm Comte in 1932 to provide fine interior decor for the local market and began importing Frank models from Paris for placement in design projects as well as for retail sale. In 1936, Comte entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Frank to produce his designs locally, and by 1937 the firm had set up a workshop to execute these models, as well as a broader offering of period and contemporary designs.

Frank completed a string of private projects in Argentina starting in the late 1930s, including the vast interiors for the home of Jorge Born and Maria Frías Ayerza Born (completed 1940) and the public spaces of the Llao Llao Hotel in Patagonia (1938). With the onset of the second world war, Frank immigrated to Argentina and briefly became creative director for Comte, appointing a number interiors for local society figures.