F675 Butterfly Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, 1960s

The tubular frame is thin and geometric. The leather seating and backrest are solely attached to the frame, which results in a comfortable seat as the leather can form itself to the body.
The original brown leather shows an admirable patina that contrasts wonderfully with the metal frame.

Pierre Paulin (1927-2009) was a French furniture designer, influenced by the Scandinavian aesthetic, as well as by American prefabrication design.
Important is his background in sculpting and stone carving which is the reason why his designs are often opulent and expressive.
with the signature organic curves that features in many of his pieces.
In 1954 he started a collaboration with Thonet.
In 1958, Artifort’s head of design Kho Liang Le recruited Pierre Paulin – his designs are still produced by Artifort today.
Paulin said of his time at the company: “It represented the first full expression of my abilities. I considered the manufacture of chairs to be rather primitive and I was trying to think up new processes.”
with his high profile, he went on to redecorate the rooms of the Elysée’s private apartments for Pompidou and furnish the office of François Mitterrand.
In November 2009, he was posthumously awarded the distinction of ‘Royal Designer for Industry’.