Demisch Danant is pleased to present René Jean Caillette, a solo exhibition devoted to significant works of the 1950s and 1960s by the acclaimed French designer. On view from September 18 to October 30, René Jean Caillette presents the designer’s work in three distinct vignettes. The highlight of the exhibition is a re-creation of a dining room from the designer’s historic 1961 presentation at the Salon des Arts Ménagers, including the Sylvie Credenza and Dining Table and the rare and iconic Diamond Chairs in white lacquer. Two vignettes focus on works designed in the late 1950s for the manufacturers Charron, Steiner, and S.A.D.E.A.. The exhibition also features a rare prototype for a bookcase and a unique sofa, both in molded plywood, acquired directly from the designer’s estate.

René Jean Caillette (1919-2004) was part of a group of young designers who emerged immediately following the reconstruction period, dedicated to designing elegant and accessible furniture in a resolutely modern spirit, stripped of decoration and produced in series. In 1950, George Charron, a French furniture manufacturer, discovered Caillette’s work and their meeting led to the creation of Group 4, a collaboration between Caillette, Alain Richard, Genevieve Dangles and Joseph André Motte. Caillette received the René Gabriel prize in 1952 and the silver medal at the Milan Triennale in 1962, and continued to design for Charron until 1972. Throughout his illustrious career, Caillette adhered to a rigorous development and prototyping process and remained committed to simplicity of line and material innovation.