Jean-Michel Frank : L'étrange Luxe Du Rien

The decorator Jean-Michel Frank (1895-1941) is a mythic figure of decorative arts. His style, named as “poor luxury”, presents affinities with 18th-century French neoclassicism, he reinterprets with subtlety and bares of all ornament. He mixes materials and covers his furniture with leather, parchment or galuchat. During his career, he develops strong friendships with some of his clients, as Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, Nelson Rockfeller, Aragon, Lucien Lelong, Elsa Schiaparelli or Madeleine Vionnet.

This monograph by Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier, PhD in history of art, replaces Frank's work in its artistic, intellectual and politic context. The study of Frank's production allows defining his style evolutions and reveals unknown aspects of his career, as his association with the cabinetmaker Adolphe Chanaux or his collaborations with Bérard, Giacometti, Laurens, Rodocanachi and Terry.