A Modernist Bombé Chest of Drawers by Philippe Joubert and René Petit

France, circa 1926

A wonderful modernist chest of six drawers of exceptional quality and design, the front and sides all curved out , with solid block handles and rich Palisander veneers laid in striking geometric patterns throughout. Created for Joubert and Petit’s company DIM (Décoration Intérieure Moderne).

The artist René Joubert and designer George Mouveau founded Décoration Intérieure Moderne in 1919. Intended from the outset to showcase uncompromisingly contemporary furniture it was one of the most avant-garde firms of its time. In 1924 Philippe Petit replaced Mouveau and took the firm even further into the modernist style whilst managing to retain the reputation for the highest quality cabinet work as can be seen on the present chest.

The firm exhibited at the seminal International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925 but in this piece, made shortly after and illustrated in the July 1928 edition of Mobilier et Décoration, we can see the progression away from the richly embellished ‘Deco’ style to more monumental, sculptural forms that acknowledge the growing contemporary appreciation of African art.

Dimensions

Height 82cm | 32 ¼ in

Width 163cm | 64 in

Depth 54cm | 21 ¼ in

For more information about this piece, or any of the other pieces on our website, please email info@evershed-martin.com or call + 44 7976 956 247