Jacques Dumond

Jacques Dumond
Armchair, 1961
Avodiré wood, steel, foam, fabric
35.04 H x 33.46 x 31.89 inches
89 H x 85 x 81 cm
Seat height: 13.77 inches (35 cm)

Originally designed for Maison de la Radio (O.R.T.F.), Foyer des Artistes, 1962

Provenance: 
Private commission, Paris

Literature:
Somogy Éditions d'Art, La Maison de l’O.R.T.F. à Paris, 1963, Paris, 2013

In 1961, Jacques Dumond was invited to propose his designs for architect Henri Bernard’s new “Maison de la Radio” building in Paris. Of the 16 interior designers and teams invited to compete, only the following candidates were selected: Joseph-André Motte, Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq, René-Jean Caillette, Pierre Paulin, Mathieu Mategot, Jacques Thual, Jacques Dumond and Philippe Leloup.

Dumond and his partner Leloup were tasked with designing two large “artists foyers,“ which included a large-scale tapestry by Alfred Manessier and a wall mosaic by Gustave Singier. The chairs and large smoked glass low tables were designed specifically for these spaces.

The Armchair was originally designed for the “Maison de la Radio” project, although this particular example was commissioned for a private client’s nearby apartment in Paris, 16th Arrondissement, shortly after the important public commission. We are not aware of any other examples of this design being produced. This model is quite impressive because of the combination of its architectural  base in African Avodiré wood and its experimentation with newly available techniques for foam and elastic fabrics.

In all of Dumond’s designs, there is a smart balance between comfort, functionality, elegance, and a dynamic tension evident in his drawings. Each chair that he designed is always the pure translation of its purpose for a specific place.

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