Pierre Paulin for AP Polak

PIERRE PAULIN (France, 1927 - 2009) for AP Polak.
Armchair "AP-14", 1950s.
Metal and fabric.
In good state of preservation.
Measurements: 68 x 65 x 78 cm.
This "AP-14" armchair in canvas, designed by Pierre Paulin for AP Polak in the 1950s, embodies the designer's first explorations of lightness and comfort. Its slender and elegant tubular steel structure highlights the original canvas, now enhanced by the passage of time. Initially a deep eggplant red, the fabric has been subtly transformed under the effect of the sun, revealing a nuanced beige tone, slightly shaded with eggplant. This natural patina gives the armchair a unique presence, a true mark of the passage of time. Despite its age, the canvas remains resistant and retains all its tension. When the armchair is lifted, the original color is revealed, preserved and vibrant. A rare and coveted piece, this "AP-14" perfectly illustrates the dialogue between structural rigor and sensuality of materials, characteristic of Pierre Paulin's work. A precious testimony to the French modernism of the 1950s, destined for collectors and lovers of exceptional design.
The designer Pierre Paulin, considered one of the most important representatives of French design in the mid-twentieth century, and especially in the seventies, began working with the firm Thonet in 1952. During these years he would discover the use of new industrial materials, following in the footsteps of Eames, Saarinen and Bertoia. Only four years later, in 1956, he was invited to join the firm Artifort, where Paulin would find the support and means necessary to carry out his most personal designs. He generally titled his designs with numbers, following his idea of simplicity and rejection of any lyrical effect. At the end of the 1960s he benefited from the collaboration with outstanding craftsmen in a new research and creation workshop, "Le Mobilier National", with which he carried out the renovation of the Denon wing of the Louvre Museum.