Jean Prouve
As a true Frenchman, Jan Prouve had his own metal shop, and his earliest furniture existed from formed sheet steel. In 1935 he received his first prize in a furniture competition. He was a man of diversity as on can see in the production of his wooden and steel furniture, bicycles and developments of frame houses and buildings.After a period of collaboration on numerous major architectural projects, lecturing at the Conservatoire National des Arts et M’tiers and adjudicate projects, he decided to give up his independent office in Paris, where he worked as an architect and consultant. In 1980 Jean Prouve began to devote himself to the further development of his furniture designs.
Yet outside France only a relatively small circle of collectors and connoisseurs were familiar with his work. Now he is seen as a major designer of the 20th century, sharing a very similar approach to Charles and Ray Eames. For many years now, Prouves work has formed a key focus of the Vitra Design Museum collection. That said, there are products from other eras that have lost none of their glory, that remain current and unsurpassed.
