313 - Pierre CHAPO (1927–1987)

Pierre CHAPO (1927–1987) LO7A model pull-out bench, 1997, made of elm, consisting of two slatted sections that can be placed side by side or pulled apart to form a bed, resting on four square-section corner legs. H.: 25.5 – W.: 197 cm. – D.: 139 cm. (open) (Signs of wear, scratches) Note: - A copy of the original invoice will be provided to the buyer Bibliography: - Exhibition catalog for Pierre Chapo, published by Magen H Gallery, 2017; a similar model is reproduced on p. 232. PROVENANCE Private French collection Expert: Romain COULET Member of the S.F.E.P. Description: Born in Paris in 1927, Pierre Chapo initially intended to become a painter before an encounter with a shipwright in 1947 introduced him to woodworking. He then studied architecture at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, after which he traveled to Scandinavia, Central America, and the United States. Upon his return to Paris, he opened a gallery on Boulevard de l’Hôpital where he also exhibited the work of other artists, including Isamu Noguchi, with whom he shared a sculptural and organic approach to form. Samuel Beckett was among his first clients; Chapo designed the “Godot” bed for him. In 1967, the year he received a bronze medal at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Décorateurs, he moved to Gordes, in the Luberon, and founded his own company there specializing in solid wood furniture (oak, ash, elm). His design vocabulary, characterized by exposed joints and clean, uncluttered forms, owes much to the example set by Charlotte Perriand and her interior designs for the Les Arcs resort; he also collaborated with Serge Mouille and Georges Jouve. His work thus reflects the same pursuit of authenticity as that of Pierre Jeanneret, George Nakashima, and the Guillerme and Chambron workshops—figures of a modernity rooted in artisanal craftsmanship.