Robert Mathieu

Robert Mathieu (born 1921) studied metal-turning in bronze at the École Boulle school of applied arts and crafts, but would later go on to invent some of the most exceptional lighting designs of his times.
Following the urgent rebuilding phase in France after the end of World War II, a whole new housing-based economy emerged, built on the great French traditions of interior design and home furnishing. A new generation, fresh from the most prestigious schools, was quick to grasp the opportunities offered by this economy, laying the foundations of what we now call “design” – namely, devising goods for mass production. Robert Mathieu was part of this generation, bringing his boundless creativity and perfectly mastered technical skills to the table. He designed articulated lamps for every task in the modern home, putting to good use his unparalleled ability in tackling asymmetry and creating double-counterweighted systems unlike anything seen elsewhere.

This first monograph on Robert Mathieu is the fruit of research carried out by Pascal Cuisinier who, since the early 2000s, has been an aficionado of French post-World War II design. Focusing on the academic and the aesthetic aspects in equal measure, this study aims to introduce the work of Robert Mathieu to both newcomers and informed collectors, and to shed some light on the period of renewed prosperity experienced by the decorative arts in France during the thirty-year economic expansion known as the Trente Glorieuses.

Contents

Introduction

Biography

I remember

Critical analysis

Portfolio

Catalogue

Exhibition