NEW YORK — Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) grew up steeped in the ideals of the Nancy School in France during the height of the Art Nouveau period. The designers and artists who worked there circa 1890-1914 shared the belief of creating art that could be accessed by all. With his background in metalworking and architecture — he taught himself both skills — Prouvé is renowned for having an industrial approach to design and manufacturing technology that let him create furniture that was both artful and affordable.
While Prouvé incorporated wood into his designs, he is mostly celebrated for making metal furniture that was worlds apart from the Bauhaus tubular steel furniture that prevailed in his time. Prouvé preferred working with sheet metal that could be folded, which he used in his BA12 and model No.152 chest-sideboard that attained €160,000 ($168,929) plus the buyer’s premium in October 2023 at Piasa. This model was designed circa 1951-52. Reportedly, he saw himself more as an engineer than a designer, and his furniture forms are noted for their efficient designs and use of materials.
A set of six Jean Prouvé Métropole N.305 Standard chairs earned €130,000 ($137,134) plus the buyer’s premium in October 2022. Image courtesy of Piasa and LiveAuctioneers.
His Standard chair appears highly simple yet sophisticated, and is easy to mass-produce. Its seemingly austere, stripped-down look made it very popular, and it lends itself well to the Modernist aesthetic that is still very much in vogue. A set of six Métropole n. 305 Standard chairs in lacquered sheet steel and molded plywood soared to €130,000 ($137,134) plus the buyer’s premium in October 2022 at Piasa. This model was created in 1950 and was manufactured by Les Ateliers Jean Prouvé, and it shows how he applied an engineer’s eye to furniture-making. The slim front legs are in stark contrast to the wide back legs, which are meant to take the bulk of the sitter’s weight. The contrast between the steel and the blonde wood also makes for an appealing aesthetic.
In keeping with his desire to make his goods accessible to all, Prouvé created pieces for use in the public sector. A particularly strong outlet for his work in the 1950s was the then-emerging university market. He created many lightweight and budget-friendly pieces for the Cité Universitaire Jean-Zay, which was built in 1954 in Antony, France for use in student dorms and common rooms. A design competition was held in 1955 to create furnishings for the university complex, and Prouvé was selected to fill the halls, restaurants and nearly 150 student rooms. An Antony bookcase, named after the town that hosted the university, sold for €85,000 ($89,671) plus the buyer’s premium in May 2021 at Piasa. The circa-1955 bookcase, which could also be used as a shelf, was made of lacquered and folded steel sheet metal with oak.
Besides materials, one of Prouvé’s guiding design principles was connections — specifically, how efficiently the elements of a piece were put together. His attention to design and engineering is perhaps best seen in his low table, model CB11, which features a robust top set upon three sturdy wooden feet that are connected by use of folded sheet metal engineering. A circa-1943 example with a stone top on a structure of oak and steel proves the market for his work has been steadily growing. This table more than doubled its high estimate to bring $70,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2022 at Wright. Vitra has recently reissued contemporary versions of several of Prouvé’s most celebrated designs, including this table.
A study of LiveAuctioneers’ website shows that offerings of Prouvé best work are becoming harder to find. Prices have been holding steady in the high five figures, even climbing into the six figure-range for rare examples.
Besides his chairs, Prouvé created seating that emphasized function and comfort, such as his Lit divan or daybed, no. 102. Most of Prouvé’s work offered at auction dates to the 1950s but on occasion, good earlier examples appear, such as this 1936 piece in oak and enameled steel, which brought $38,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2021 at Wright. “Prouvé tirelessly focused on finding creative and useful solutions to design problems throughout his career, crafting everything from aluminum vacation homes to university bookcases, living by his words that one should ‘never design anything that cannot be made’,” according to the auctioneer’s website.
Another fine early work of his is a circa-1946 Dacytlo desk in oak, steel and aluminum. Featuring one drawer and a fall front file cabinet, the desk nearly doubled its high estimate to realize $20,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2023 at Kamelot Auctions.
The market remains strong for works by Jean Prouvé as well as Modernist furniture overall. His practical yet design-forward furniture continue to attract new collectors and fans, ensuring a highly competitive marketplace.
