Djo-Bourgeois

The combination of cerused oak and a beautiful tan leather surface contributes to the successful character of the present design, a rare sofa by Parisian Art Deco designer Edouard-Joseph Bourgeois, known as Djo-Bourgeois. After studying with Robert Mallet-Stevens at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris, he joined Studium Louvre in 1922 (the decorating studio at the Louvre Department Store), directed by Etienne Kohlmann and Maurice Matet, where he designed interiors and furniture, including an office for the exhibition at the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. A 1931 monograph of his work shows his penchant for clean, geometric and austere designs, as well as his embrace of new mediums and materials like tubular metal and chromed surfaces. The present sofa is a prime example of the architect’s celebrated modernist style and his unique flair for balanced proportions and noble materials. Flawlessly executed, the piece constitutes one of his most timeless and functional designs.