Tongue Chair
1967 · Upholstery over tubular metal frame
64.8 × 91.5 × 96.6 cm (25 1/2 × 36 × 38 in.)
Art Institute of Chicago
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Pierre Paulin
Artist
Representation
None documented
0
Institutional Exhibitions
14
Works in Collection
27
Assets Indexed
0
Authority-backed Facts
0
Publications Referenced
70%
Profile Completeness
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Movements
No movements recorded
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About
Why this artist matters now
Pierre Paulin was a French furniture designer whose sculptural seating and modular systems defined postwar European modernism. Working primarily in molded plastic, fiberglass, and upholstered foam, Paulin rejected orthogonal forms in favor of organic, biomorphic shapes that prioritized bodily comfort alongside visual innovation. His designs for Artifort and Paulin Mobilier established a distinctly French approach to industrial production that bridged the gap between craft tradition and mass manufacture. His work influenced a generation of designers and remains foundational to postwar design history.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago
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Canonical record
Artworks (14)
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Institutional
Representation & Collections
In collection
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In collection
Museum of Modern Art
New York, US
In collection
Art Institute of Chicago
In collection
Victoria and Albert Museum
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