Model 31 Chairs with Eames Small Dot Pattern from Florence Knoll, 1920s, Set of 2

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A meeting between two major figures of american modernism. At the heart of this restoration project lies a question: did … Read more A meeting between two major figures of american modernism. At the heart of this restoration project lies a question: did ray eames and florence knoll ever meet? two essential names in 20th-century american design, two creative personalities whose careers helped redefine the codes of furniture and interior architecture. Two women who, each in their own way, made their mark in a professional world largely dominated by men. Florence knoll (née schust), an american architect and designer, profoundly influenced the history of modern design. Trained at the cranbrook academy of art, and later by leading figures of european modernism such as walter gropius, marcel breuer, and ludwig mies van der rohe, she developed a comprehensive vision of interior design. At the head of the knoll planning unit, she helped redefine postwar living and working spaces, combining architecture, furniture, art, and textiles in a unified spatial concept. Ray eames, artist and designer, followed an equally unique path. Alongside charles eames, her partner in creation and life, she explored the possibilities offered by new materials, forms, colors, and industrial manufacturing processes. Her artistic vision and sensitivity to composition played a crucial role in shaping the visual and creative identity of the eameses' work. Both women lived in a world where they were still fighting for their legitimacy in the fields of architecture, design, and industrial creation. Through their determination, exacting standards, and commitment, they helped pave the way for a new generation of women designers. While their paths and methods differed, they shared a common ambition: to establish design as a discipline in its own right, capable of transforming our relationship with objects and spaces. Their paths crossed in the intellectual and artistic environment of the cranbrook academy of art, where florence knoll and ray eames worked together. This encounter lends a particular resonance to this restoration. Designed in 1954 by florence knoll, this pair of model 31 armchairs exemplifies an approach to furniture design where architectural rigor, functionality, and comfort combine in a remarkably understated composition. For this restoration, we have chosen maharam's high-end eames small dot pattern fabric, a textile designed by charles and ray eames in 1947 for the textile design competition organized by the museum of modern art in new york. Its graphic motif, punctuated by small geometric dots, brings a fresh expression to the model 31's clean lines, while also echoing the eameses' creative universe. Thus, several decades after their initial encounters, florence knoll and ray eames meet again, this time within our gallery, through a dialogue between their creations, sensibilities, and respective legacies. A meeting of two women, two visions of modernism, and two design histories, united today in a single restoration project. Complete restoration by a specialist 20th-century upholsterer: new foam, webbing, and wadding. Beige color with black dot pattern. Dimensions: w63 cm x d66 cm x h73 cm, seat height 43 cm. See less