Circular Low Table

Charlotte Perriand, Les Arcs

Circular low table, circa 1967-1969. Made of solid stained pine. Provenance: private residence in the Lyon region, France. The piece was restored and finished with shellac by its previous owner. It shows slight signs of use consistent with its age and a visible restoration on the tabletop, without affecting its structural stability. Low or center table made of solid pine, with a thick circular top resting on four robust cylindrical legs. The rounded and elevated edge of the top is internally traversed by a recessed channel that accentuates its profile and brings rhythm to the surface. The composition is based on the roundness of elementary forms and the contrast between the horizontal amplitude of the top and the compact presence of the supports. Its direct construction and the absence of ornamental elements allow the grain and warm tone of the pine to take on a leading role. The result combines a marked architectural presence with the organic and welcoming character typical of alpine furniture. The design is related to the furnishings conceived for the Les Arcs resort, a project in which Charlotte Perriand participated from 1967 and where she developed functional solutions adapted to mountain housing and mass production. In these interiors she resorted to resistant and natural materials, especially wood, seeking solid, simple and suitable furniture for intensive daily use. Charlotte Perriand was a French architect and designer, considered one of the fundamental figures of modern design in the 20th century. From 1927 she worked in Le Corbusier's studio, participating together with Pierre Jeanneret in the creation of some of the most representative furniture of the modern movement. Her interest in the mountains was of central importance in her work. Between 1967 and 1989 she participated in the development of Les Arcs, in Savoy, intervening in its urban planning, architecture and interior fittings. Her language combined functionality, constructive clarity and sensitivity towards natural materials. Her production is preserved in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.