René-Jean Caillette Oak Armchairs

Pair of armchairs in blonde oak designed by René-Jean Caillette, model created circa 1949, self-published. Conceived at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s, these armchairs bear witness to the transitional period during which René-Jean Caillette evolved the French furniture tradition toward the principles of modern furniture and serial production.

• These seats retain their original jacquard, moreover depicted in certain archival documents. The tension is excellent, the piping shows signs of wear, slightly frayed.
• The oak frames have been restored and the fabrics deep-cleaned by our restorer.
• H 81 CM x D 46 CM x W 50 CM.
• H sitting 42 CM.
• One restoration mark on one of the rear legs (see photo).

Between French tradition and 1950s modernity

The design of this pair of armchairs can be read in two stages. At the front, the armrest consoles, though angled, terminate in a curve still marked by a certain neoclassical elegance, recalling the French furniture tradition of the interwar years. Conversely, the rear legs and backrest uprights taper, splay outward, and give the armchair a far more dynamic line, already anticipating the compass leg that would become one of the defining features of the 1950s.

The front legs still extend the neoclassicism of late 1940s Art Deco, while the rear compass-leg base already announces the modernism of the 1950s.

Archival images showing Caillette’s table, armchairs and chairs (Source: Le Nouvel Habitat)

To go further, discover our article on René-Jean Caillette