Pierre Paulin Sofa "442" By Pierre Paulin For Artifort, The Netherlands, 1960s

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There has been much discussion surrounding this particular sofa model, but one thing remains certain: its design was incredibly ahead of its time when it debuted in 1962. Pierre Paulin, an iconic designer of the 1960s and 1970s, drew inspiration from both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics, resulting in a modern and trendy look for his work. The "442" sofa's design manages to be both contemporary and timeless simultaneously. The sofa features a large, three-seater body that rests on four chromed steel bars acting as legs along the front and back. These chrome bars give the sofa its iconic modernist appearance, giving the illusion that the upholstered body was sculpted around them. The sofa's rectangular shape and long lines are blended with rounded edges, enhancing its elegance. The low back and deep seats provide a spacious look, with extra comfort offered by each loose seat and back cushion. The sleek leather fabric is used ingeniously, tightly covering the sofa's sides and back to display the chrome bars while framing and accentuating the looser seat and back cushions. The thin legs fully support the sofa, showcasing the manufacturer's expertise. Artifort began in 1890, with Jules Wagemans founding an upholstery business in Maastricht. However, the company experienced significant transformation under interior and furniture designer Kho Liang Ie's leadership. In 1959, the French designer Pierre Paulin joined Artifort, introducing innovative techniques and constructions. Thus, the iconic "442" sofa was born from their fruitful collaboration. Pierre Paulin's work has become timeless classics of modern design, celebrated through numerous awards and retrospectives worldwide. This three-seater sofa model is particularly recognized as a modernist masterpiece. His designs are still regarded as innovative, pioneering comfort and style in equal measure. The sofa is in good vintage condition, with signs of wear consistent with its age and use. It is upholstered in brown leather with a beautiful patina, but each item can be reupholstered according to your preference by our in-house atelier. Pierre Paulin, the designer, was a French furniture and interior designer. He trained as a ceramist in Vallaurius and a stone-carver in Burgundy before studying at the Ecole Camondo in Paris. After a stint with Gascoin in Le Havre, where he gained an interest in Scandinavian and Japanese design, he went on to create innovative work with Artifort in the 1960s and interior design in the 1970s. Paulin's exaggerated sculptural forms brought a refreshing change to Artifort, earning him numerous prizes worldwide. His work is on display in multiple museums across the globe, with the furniture designer also creating the interior of the private apartments of French Presidents Pompidou and Mitterrand in the Elysée Palace in Paris. Paulin passed away in June 2009, with President Nicolas Sarkozy paying tribute to the artist who he believed “made design art." In November 2009, Paulin posthumously received the British distinction of "Royal Designer for Industry (RDI)."

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