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Rare Mid-century Jean-Pierre Laporte Girolle armchair 1969

Creator: Thonet
Offered by: Maison Cedric

Description
Of this rare and unique armchair design—the Girolle—the designer Jean-Pierre Laporte said, “I discover all the qualities of polyester to exploit its flexibility, its nervousness, its ability to recover its memory shape. All this generates in me a creativity of forms to infinity. Sculpture enters the world of furniture. "
At the time he unveiled this design, the idea of using newfangled materials like polyester was only just entering into the collective consciousness of furniture designers on the edge of innovation; Laporte was one of the first to fully embrace the material, in fact not using it to merely replace wood or metal, but celebrating its properties in designs that pushed the limits of the possible, like this mid-century modern armchair.
Laporte was hired by renowned German designer Thonet in the mid-1960’s and honed his craft under the artistic eye of Pierre Paulin. Half a decade later, the Girolle armchair was born, finding an immediate place in design history. It eventually even became one of the armchairs at Paris’ Centre Pompidou.
Today, it’s not hard to see what made this chair so exalted in its time. In fact, its powers to arrest one’s attention and spark a desire to deeply explore its erotic, curving lines have not dimmed in the slightest. The pure white base is a sensual, sculptural masterpiece, while the soft red fabric offers a warm invitation to curl up atop it. Lest the unique design seem more decorative than functional, note that Laporte created the piece for optimal sitting comfort.
Truly a museum quality piece, the Girolle armchair is in excellent vintage condition.

More Information

Documentation:	Documented elsewhere (exact item)
Origin:	France
Period:	1950-1979
Materials:	Plexiglass, Polyester, Plastic
Condition:	Good. Wear consistent with age and use
Creation Date:	1969
Styles / Movements:	Modern, Mid Century
Incollect Reference #:	304361

Dimensions

W.	31.5 in;	H.	28.74 in;	D.	29.53 in;
W.	80 cm;	H.	73 cm;	D.	75 cm;

Message from Seller:

Cedric, Alice and Damien are pleased to present our eclectic selection of 20th-century pieces, mainly from France, and from the 1940s to the 1970s. We curate our collection based on knowledge, intuition, and of course aesthetics. We restore all our pieces in house, and we truly care about design as much as our clients do. We are quite experienced in sourcing and international shipping, and we will be pleased to help you find the one-of-a-kind pieces you are looking for.

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