Mathieu Matégot: Perforated Perfection
Independent and self-taught Hungarian designer, Mathieu Matégot (1910-2001) spent most of his life living and working in his beloved Paris, where he settled after finishing his studies at Budapest’s School of Art and Architecture in 1937. Signing up as a volunteer for the French Army, Matégot was captured and held prisoner in Germany until his […]
Alberto Rosselli: A Visionary Design Pioneer
Italian architect, designer and teacher Alberto Rosselli was born in Palermo in 1921. He was considered the “innovator” of architecture and one of the primary architects to emphasize the concept of industrial design as it relates to the structure as a whole. After graduating in 1947 from Milan Polytechnic University, Rosselli, he became the pioneer […]
Jacques Adnet: Luxurious Simplicity
Mid century modern designer, Jacques Adnet was an icon of luxurious French Modernism. He attended École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was inspired by pre-classical styles and his avant-garde take on traditional pieces. Adnet believed in the functional aspect of furniture combined with geometric simplicity above all else. His streamlined, mid century modernist designs emphasized luxurious […]
Franco Albini: Poetic Precision
Born in the Italian countryside of Brianza to a well-to-do bourgeois family, Franco Albini (1905-1977) was inspired by his fond memories of the landscape and the precise beauty of tradition. After attending architecture school in Milan, he served his apprenticeship with Milanese Architects Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia where he had direct contact with artisan […]
Paavo Tynell: Brass with Sass
Finnish designer Paavo Tynell (1890-1973) was a master of lighting and working with his favorite material, brass. Paavo Tynell began his studies as a tinsmith and continued his education at the school now known as Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. It was while working as a designer at Taidetakomo Koru, Tynell made his […]
Ico Parisi: Objects of Beauty
Ico Parisi (1916-1996), a Sicilian born architect, was one of the most influential designers and visionaries to shape the look of the 1950s. Parisi had a fertile imagination and was considered somewhat of a Renaissance man, he was active in the areas of filmmaking, furniture, glass and jewelry design – as well as an artist […]