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Jean Prouvé Furniture

French, 1901-1984

Engineer and metalsmith, self-taught designer and architect, manufacturer and teacher, Jean Prouvé was a key force in the evolution of 20th-century French design, introducing a style that combined economy of means and stylistic chic. Along with his frequent client and collaborator Le Corbusier and others, Prouvé, using his practical skills and his understanding of industrial materials, steered French modernism onto a path that fostered principled, democratic approaches to architecture and design.

Prouvé was born in Nancy, a city with a deep association with the decorative arts. (It is home, for example, to the famed Daum crystal manufactory.) His father, Victor Prouvé, was a ceramist and a friend and co-worker of such stars of the Art Nouveau era as glass artist Émile Gallé and furniture maker Louis Majorelle. Jean Prouvé apprenticed to a blacksmith, studied engineering, and produced ironwork for such greats of French modernism as the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. In 1931, he opened the firm Atelier Prouvé. There, he perfected techniques in folded metal that resulted in his Standard chair (1934) and other designs aimed at institutions such as schools and hospitals.

During World War II, Prouvé was a member of the French Resistance, and his first postwar efforts were devoted to designing metal pre-fab housing for those left homeless by the conflict. In the 1950s, Prouvé would unite with Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret (Le Corbusier’s cousin) on numerous design projects. In 1952, he and Perriand and artist Sonia Delaunay created pieces for the Cité Internationale Universitaire foundation in Paris, which included the colorful, segmented bookshelves that are likely Prouvé’s and Perriand’s best-known designs. The pair also collaborated on 1954’s Antony line of furniture, which again, like the works on 1stDibs, demonstrated a facility for combining material strength with lightness of form.

Prouvé spent his latter decades mostly as a teacher. His work has recently won new appreciation: in 2008 the hotelier Andre Balazs purchased at auction (hammer price: just under $5 million) the Maison Tropicale, a 1951 architectural prototype house that could be shipped flat-packed, and was meant for use by Air France employees in the Congo. Other current Prouvé collectors include Brad Pitt, Larry Gagosian, Martha Stewart and the fashion designer Marc Jacobs.

The rediscovery of Jean Prouvé — given not only the aesthetic and practical power of his designs but also the social conscience his work represents — marks one of the signal “good” aspects of collecting vintage 20th-century design. An appreciation of Prouvé is an appreciation of human decency.

Find antique Jean Prouvé chairs, tables, chaise longues and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Place of Origin: Swiss
Creator: Jean Prouvé
A pair of Fauteuil Direction carvers by Jean Prouvé for VITRA
By Jean Prouvé
Located in London, GB
Elevate your dining experience with this pair of exquisite Fauteuil Direction carvers designed by Jean Prouvé for VITRA. Crafted in Switzerland, these chairs boast a stunning grey co...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Jean Prouvé Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Fauteuil Direction by Jean Prouvé for VITRA
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Centreville, VA
The chair was intended for offices, but also for classrooms, which earned it the sobriquet of “teacher’s chair”. Fauteuil Direction is especially suited for dining room seating or a...
Category

1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jean Prouvé Furniture

Materials

Steel

Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay Stools in American Walnut
By Jean Prouvé, Vitra
Located in Glendale, CA
Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay stool in American walnut. Tabouret Solvay bears the unmistakable signature of Jean Prouvé, reflecting an aesthetic based on...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Mid-Century Modern Jean Prouvé Furniture

Materials

Steel

Set of 6 Jean Prouvé Standard SP Chairs in Teak Brown and Red for Vitra
By Jean Prouvé, Vitra
Located in Glendale, CA
Set of 6 Jean Prouvé standard SP chairs in teak brown and red for Vitra. In like new and unused condition with original Vitra boxes, stickers ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Mid-Century Modern Jean Prouvé Furniture

Materials

Steel

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Jean Prouvé Standard Chair in Natural Oak and Japanese Red for Vitra
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Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay / Bois Stool in Solid Natural Oak by Vitra
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Charlotte Perriand LC9 Tabouret Stool for Cassina
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Jean Prouvé French Painted Wood and Iron Stool, France, circa 1950
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6 Standard Chairs by Jean Prouve 1950s
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A very nice set of 6 standard chairs by Jean Prouvé. Very nice condition, coming from the collection of Peter Lindbergh apartment in Paris. ...
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6 Standard Chairs by Jean Prouve 1950s
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Antony lounge chair by Jean Prouvé for Vitra, 2002. Authentic and labeled. 2 available, priced and sold individually.
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Bar Stools After Jean Prouve
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5 circular backless bar stools. 29.5" tall and settling to about 29" when seated, 19" wide (at the foot ring, which is set 13" from he floor) . Produced to an industrial and commerci...
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Midcentury Jean Prouvé Stools
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Atelier Jean Prouvé designed for the Lycée Fabert, Metz. France, 1930s. Lacquered metal base and turned plywood seat. All have markings on the underside. These wonderful stools also ...
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Tabouret Métallique Stool by Jean Prouvé for Vitra
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Jean Prouvé Standard Chair Limited RAW Steel and Natural Oak by Vitra
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Brutalist French Walnut Stool, Jean Touret-Inspired, 1960s
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Introducing a captivating midcentury wooden stool, meticulously crafted in France during the vibrant 1960s. This extraordinary piece serves as a tribute to the era's commitment to artisanal excellence. Crafted entirely without the use of conventional hardware, its distinctive triangular seat, elegantly flared legs, and meticulously carved gouge work are all fashioned...
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Previously Available Items
Prouvé RAW Office Edition Fauteuil Direction by Jean Prouvé for VITRA X G-STAR R
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Located in Centreville, VA
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Prouvé RAW Office Edition Fauteuil Direction Pivotant by Jean Prouvé
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Centreville, VA
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Prouvé RAW Office Edition Fauteuil Direction
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Set of 3 Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay Stools in American Walnut
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Jean Prouvé Fauteuil Direction Chair by Vitra
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Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
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Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Armchair designed by Jean Prouvé in 194130. Manufactured by Vitra, Switzerland. Designed for a competition to furnish the student residence halls at the Cité Universitaire in Nancy, the Cité armchair...
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Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
H 33.08 in W 26.78 in L 33.08 in
Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
By Vitra, Jean Prouvé
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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2010s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Jean Prouvé Furniture

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Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
Jean Prouvé Cité Armchair by Vitra
H 33.08 in W 26.78 in L 33.08 in
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By Vitra, Jean Prouvé
Located in Vancouver, BC
The Cité armchair is an early masterpiece by the French designer and engineer Jean Prouvé. Originally designed to furnish the student residence halls at ...
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Jean Prouvé Fauteuil Direction Pivotant Office Chair by Vitra
By Vitra, Jean Prouvé
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Chair designed by Jean Prouvé in 1951. Manufactured by Vitra, Switzerland. The swivel seat of Fauteuil Direction Pivotant is height adj...
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Jean Prouve Cité Armchair - Beige upholstery Japanese Red Base
By Vitra, Jean Prouvé
Located in Vancouver, BC
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1930s Swiss Vintage Jean Prouvé Furniture

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Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay Stool in American Walnut by Vitra
By Jean Prouvé, Vitra
Located in Glendale, CA
Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay stool in American walnut by Vitra. Minimally used. Tabouret Solvay bears the unmistakable signature of Jean Prouvé, reflect...
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21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Mid-Century Modern Jean Prouvé Furniture

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Jean Prouvé furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Jean Prouvé furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Jean Prouvé furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 96 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 11 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Jean Prouvé were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by André Sornay, Joseph-André Motte, and Pierre Guariche. Prices for Jean Prouvé furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $754 and can go as high as $1,078,195, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $7,900.

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