Mushroom Armchairs by Pierre Paulin, 1958

Born in Paris in 1927, French designer Pierre Paulin studied stone carving and clay modeling at the École Camondo
in Paris in the early 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Artifort, which began in 1958 and lasted approximately half a century. This relationship resulted in several iconic pieces, including his famed Mushroom Chair (1959), Ribbon Chair (1966), and Tongue Chair (1968).

Notably, Paulin was commissioned by Le Mobilier National to decorate the private apartments of President George Pompidou at the Palais de L’Elysee in 1970, and again, in 1983, to furnish the office of Francois Mitterand. Paulin’s work was influenced by his German roots, the early modernists, and, in particular, by American designers Charles and Ray Eames. His pieces are in the permanent collections of multiple esteemed institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Centre George Pompidou in Paris, 
the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, and the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. Paulin died in Montpelier, France in 2009.