Robsjohn-Gibbings - Pair of lounge chairs

Robsjohn-Gibbings.
Lounge chairs.
Widdicomb edition.
Circa 1950.

This set of furniture was created by the internationally renowned decorator Robsjohn-Gibbings, who became famous for his creations combining the Art Deco style with the decorative repertoire of Ancient Greece. His ironic view of modern living has made him a true visionary, unclassifiable in his expression of decoration.

He began as a cruise ship decorator in London. He left the city in 1930 for New York where he worked for a dealer specializing in 18th century English furniture. When he was forced to return to London in 1933, he discovered with emotion the antique furniture represented on the archaeological pieces. With these new inspirations, he returned to New York to open his own design house in 1936. His first collection was called "Sans Epoque", because he believed that the pure beauty of ancient traditions is eternal. In his satirical writings, which quickly became best-sellers, he opposed the modernist habitat, which he called "the skin-and-bones machine for living". It was at this time that he became a world-renowned designer who was sought after all over the world.

Indeed, this combination of classical inspiration, comfort and modernity of the late 1930s seduced a wide audience. This led to his appointment as lead designer for the Widdicomb Furniture Company, a luxury company for which he designed innovative models from 1943 to 1956. This furniture remains highly regarded today for its elegance and generous proportions. By abandoning synthetic materials in favor of local woods and creating a new style, Robsjohn-Gibbings brought a new identity to American furniture that was destined for worldwide distribution.

Thanks to new collaborations and commissions in Greece, he decided to settle permanently in Athens in 1963 and died in 1976 surrounded by his creations in an apartment overlooking the Parthenon.