Today DSHOP is thrilled to introduce one of our newest additions, the Nagasaki Chair by Mathieu Matégot (1910 – 2001). Light yet impactful, the Nagasaki first burst onto the scene in 1954 with it’s bold three leg stance and cutting edge use of ritigulle (perforated sheet metal). Matégot’s particular combination of ritigulle and bent metal tubing was so innovative at the time it was patented and the technique soon became a signature of his work, with the Nagasaki Chair standing as his most iconic piece.

Cited as one of the “earliest ambassadors of design art”* Matégot was born in Hungary in 1910 where he studied at Budapest’s school of art and architecture. While in Hungary, Matégot created sets for the National Theater prior to relocating to France in 1931. There he created sets for the Folies Bergère, window dressing for the Galeries Lafayette, women’s dresses and tapestries until the outbreak of WWII.

“One of the earliest ambassadors of design art…”

At the beginning of the war Matégot volunteered for the French army but was soon captured and held as a prisoner of war until 1944. During his time as a prisoner, Matégot worked in a factory manufacturing mechanical accessories and generally learning many of the skills he would later apply to his furniture making business.

From the mid 40s through to the early 60s, Matégot found great success designing and manufacturing furniture in limited edition runs of 200. Standing alongside contemporaries like Serge Mouille, Jean Prouve, Charlotte Perriand and George Jouve, Matégot’s work became synonymous with 1950s design. Today, Matégot’s Nagasaki chair holds a place in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris and the Vitra Design Museum – where it stands as a symbol of timeless design, every bit as relevant today as it was over a half century ago. We invite you to discover the Nagasaki chair in all its color options at shop.thedpages.com.

* Quote via Wallpaper