Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray, Paris, then by succession

Prunella Clough, London

Acquired from the above by Peter Adam

Thence by descent to the actual owner

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Eileen Gray, Paris, puis par succession

Prunella Clough, Londres

Acquis auprès de la précédente part Peter Adam

Puis par descendance à l'actuel propriétaire

For related models :

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, architect/designer, New York, 2000, pp. 252 and 368

Philippe Garner, Eileen Gray, design and architecture, 1878-1976, Cologne, 2006, p. 84 and reproduced p. 85

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, her life and work, London, 2009, pp. 199-200, 308 and reproduced p. 309

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, sa vie, son oeuvre, Paris, 2012, pp. 86 and 104

Eileen Gray, exhibition catalogue, Centre Pompidou, Paris, February, 20 - May, 20 2013, reproduced p. 184

Jennifer Goff, Eileen Gray, Her Work and Her World, Sallins, 2015, reproduced p. 471

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Pour des modèles similaires :

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, architect/designer, New York, 2000, pp. 252 et 368

Philippe Garner, Eileen Gray, design and architecture, 1878-1976, Cologne, 2006, p. 84 et reproduit p. 85

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, her life and work, Londres, 2009, pp. 199-200, 308 et reproduit p. 309

Peter Adam, Eileen Gray, sa vie, son oeuvre, Paris, 2012, pp. 86 et 104

Eileen Gray, catalogue d'exposition, Centre Pompidou, Paris, 20 février - 20 mai 2013, reproduit p. 184

Jennifer Goff, Eileen Gray, Her Work and Her World, Sallins, 2015, reproduit p. 471

“She deeply felt the spirit of objects, contemplating them, analyzing them, perfecting them. Her creations were the fruit of research carried out in most absolute isolation.”

How better to describe Eileen Gray’s work than in Peter Adam’s words?

A close friend of the artist, he wrote a very complete biography of her life that was published in 2009, and highlights her sensitivity, her modernism and her visionary spirit.

Peter Adam met Eileen Gray in 1960 when she was 82, through his friend, Eileen Gray’s niece, Prunella Clough. He was immediately struck by her solitary temperament and sought to understand her work.

“We became friends over time, we were often close, rarely intimate. She led a secluded life, which perfectly reflected her character. […] Her work was the only space where she expressed her passion and obsession. She dedicated her life to creation.”

A director of documentaries and producer for the BBC for twenty-two years, passionate about cinema and theater, Peter Adam produced more than a hundred political and cultural documentaries, many of which won awards. His greatest success was to rehabilitate Eileen Gray's work in the eyes of the general public, thereby endowing her with a pioneering place in the landscape of modern design.

This table comes from Peter Adam’s collection, acquired from Prunella Clough who inherited it from Eileen Gray.

It was originally designed for the furnishings of Villa E-1027, in 1926, in Roquebrune Cap-Martin. From the end of the 1960s, a number of articles and exhibitions allowed for the rediscovery of Eileen Gray’s work. Some producers approached her to sell some of her creations. In 1973, Zeev Aram, founder of the Aram company, contacted her to ask if she would agree to producing some of her pieces in in industrial quantities.

She humbly accepted this final consecration, asking herself "if it was really worth it".

Zeev Aram managed to convince her and she worked on a greater number of editions of her pieces.

She was one of the first designers to create models for mass marketing and this table then became emblematic of her production. Later reissued, several versions exist with a black or chrome structure, a lacquered or glass plateau.

It is conceivable that this table was the prototype Eileen Gray made for Zeer Aram. It was not sold on May 25, 1980 with part of Eileen Gray’s Collection, nor in 1991.

Nevertheless, the unique provenance of this table as most certainly the prototype the artist kept for herself, makes it exceptional.

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Eileen Gray et Peter Adam se rencontrent à la fin des années 60 à Paris.

Lui quitte Berlin en 1950 pour venir suivre des cours à La Sorbonne, elle vit dans son appartement de la rue Bonaparte dans l’isolement le plus absolue.

C’est Prunella Clough, nièce d’Eileen Gray, qui organise leur première rencontre.

Alors âgée de 82 ans et lui de 31 ans, une profonde amitié naîtra entre eux et jusqu’à la disparition de l’artiste en 1976.

Redécouverte tardivement au début des années 70, Eileen Gray est sollicitée par quelques éditeurs pour commercialiser certaines de ses créations.

Consécration ultime, Eileen Gray acceptera avec humilité, se demandant si cela en valait vraiment la peine.

Mais la voilà de nouveau au travail.

Notre table est le prototype réalisé vers 1970 de son iconique modèle conçu en 1926 pour la villa E1027 a Roquebrune Cap-Martin.

Il validera l’édition que Zeev Aram souhaite mettre au point pour la diffusion de son œuvre.

Eileen Gray conservera soigneusement ce prototype, au même titre que ses autres créations, dans son appartement de la rue Bonaparte.

Au décès de l’artiste Prunella Clough l’offrira à Peter Adam en signe de l’amitié qui l’unissait à Eileen Gray.

Il le conservera précieusement jusqu’à son décès en 2019.

Peter Adam contribuera grandement à réhabiliter l’oeuvre d’Eileen Gray en mettant en lumière son travail par la réalisation de documentaires, d’articles et par la publication de la biographie la plus complète parue à ce jour.

Notre table a la provenance exceptionnelle, est le symbole de l’admiration d’un homme qui n’aura eu de cesse de rendre sa place légitime à une artiste de génie.