Raoul Guys

RAOUL GUYS (France, 1904–1988).
Coffee table, 1950s–1960s.
Woven rattan and painted iron.
It shows slight rust and isolated breaks in the rattan weave.
Measurements: 41 x 77.5 x 36 cm.

A table with light, refined lines, constructed with a slender black-painted iron rod frame. The supports, bent into a fork shape, create a dynamic profile and hold up a rectangular tabletop with gently rounded corners, handwoven from rattan and secured to the stretcher frame with visible loops.

The combination of metal and natural fibers is characteristic of postwar French furniture, which sought to reconcile modern functionality with warm, traditional materials. The contrast between the structure’s graphic precision and the organic texture of the weaving gives the piece a light appearance, suitable for both interiors and transitional spaces.

Considered one of France’s leading designers, Raoul Guys began his career as a publicist for the publishing house Les Éditions du Carrefour. In 1929, he joined the advertising agency Alliance Graphique, where he worked alongside other giants of French design, such as Cassandre and Jean Carlu. In 1932, he founded his own design agency, Société Raoul Guys. He worked for several prestigious clients, including Rochas perfumes, the Printemps department stores, the Gallimard publishing house, and the newspaper Le Monde.