Louis Sognot

The work of Louis Sognot (1892-1969) spanned several periods in the history of furniture design. Between 1920 and 1929, he worked with Primavera on Guilleré's designs, which were noticed at the SAD and the Salon d'Automne. This style heralded 'art deco' for a more modest audience.

Encouraged by Primavera, in 1926 he proposed metal furniture for the first time, moving closer to the protagonists of the modern movement, René Herbst, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Chareau. In 1929, he left Primavera to join the UAM (Union des artistes modernes). For four years he worked in partnership with Charlotte Alix, producing some remarkable designs for the Roussel laboratories and the Maharajah of Indore. From then on he belonged to the avant-garde and played an active part in the movement, exploring new materials and regaining his independence. After the Second World War, he developed a passion for rattan, a choice that brought him to the forefront of the design scene. His collaboration with lighting designer Serge Mouille was to prove ideal.

This first monograph devoted to Louis Sognot traces the life and career of a designer who spanned the twentieth century.