Pierre Paulin, for Artifort

PIERRE PAULIN (Paris, France, 1927 - Montpellier, France, 2009) for ARTIFORT (The Netherlands).
Pair of swivel stools "Tulip", design by Pierre Paulin for Artifort.
Black lacquered metal frame and wraparound seat upholstered in ivory leather.
With brand name plaque.
In very good condition, with slight signs of use.
Measurements: 90 × 58 × 65 cm.
Retail price again: the Little Tulip stool by Artifort, designed by Pierre Paulin, is currently priced from about 1,225-1,260 € per unit at European dealers.

This pair of "Tulip" stools is an attractive elevated version of one of Pierre Paulin's most recognizable designs for Artifort, the Dutch firm with which the designer established some of the landmarks of European furniture in the second half of the 20th century. Its enveloping, organically inspired silhouette transforms the seat into a continuous, fluid, almost sculptural form, where backrest, armrests and seat are integrated into a single curved line.
The "Tulip" model synthesizes some of Paulin's great contributions to modern design: the search for ergonomics, the reduction of the visible structure and the use of upholstery as a visual element, not merely decorative. In contrast to the rigid furniture of the functionalist tradition, Paulin proposed pieces of great formal sensuality, designed to adapt to the body and renew the domestic and public experience of seating.

Pierre Paulin is considered an essential figure in 20th century French design. His collaboration with Artifort, which began in the 1960s, gave rise to iconic pieces such as the "Mushroom", "Ribbon", "Tongue" and "Tulip" models, today valued by international collectors and present in museums and reference collections. His work is part of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, confirming the full museum consideration of his designs within the history of modern furniture.