Robert Mathieu

Pascal Cuisinier

ISBN 10: 8836651925 / ISBN 13: 9788836651924

Published by Silvana, IT, 2023

About this Item

The greatest designer of French lighting, Robert Mathieu, is still little known to the general public today due to the rarity of his pieces on the market, highly sought after by specialised collectors.Unlike a traditional designer, Robert Mathieu not only designed his lights, but he made them, like an artist, in his studio on rue de Charenton in Paris. Here there is no publisher, but a dropper production close to that of a work of art, sometimes less than eight copies. What is remarkable about Robert Mathieu is on the one hand his unique creativity in France, because he has designed more than 200 models, but also the very high quality of execution of his pieces which are still in perfect condition today. This unpublished monographic work is born after 10 years of preparation.Between the beautiful art book and the catalogue raisonné, it presents all the known models of this lighting artist, illustrated by studio photographs and period documentation or non-professional photographic testimonials, because a large number of the creations by Robert Mathieu have never been seen before.Text in English and French.

Seller Inventory # LU-9788836651924

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Robert Mathieu
• Publisher: Silvana, IT
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 8836651925
• ISBN 13: 9788836651924
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 1754 grams

About this title

Synopsis

An exquisite catalogue raisonné on the notoriously collectible lamps of France’s premier midcentury lighting designer

Robert Mathieu (1921–2002) was one of the greatest designers of French lighting, though he remains little known to the general public today―largely because of the sheer rarity of his pieces, which are highly sought after by collectors. Unlike most lighting designers, Mathieu not only designed but also produced his lighting works in his Parisian studio, in a very limited quantity―sometimes less than eight copies. Mathieu is remarkable for both his uniquely fecund imagination―he designed more than 200 models―as well as the consistent high quality of his pieces (his pieces remain in perfect condition today).
Ten years in the making, this exquisite catalog presents all the known models of this lighting artist―many of which have never been seen―illustrated with ample studio photographs as well as other images from his life and career. All stages of his work are accounted for, from his early use of brass rod structures and double lamp shades to his later transition to lacquered aluminum reflectors. Regardless of his material or technique of choice, Mathieu’s aesthetic preference for pure and supple lines shines through.