Mathieu Matégot (1910 - 2001). After studying at Budapest's school of art and architecture, Matégot created scenery and tapestries for the National Theatre. He settled in France in 1931 and after WWII, he started producing handmade furniture in Paris. In the 1950's Matégot created various design classics.
Mathieu Matégot's organic forms and lightness of touch create a sense of joy and the ground breaking and innovative techniques that he employed result in aesthetic and, above all, contemporary designs.
Matégot was the first person to combine metal tubing with perforated sheet metal; a pairing that particularly characterizes his work. Many designers spend years developing their designs, simply to make them better and better. This was certainly not the case with Mathieu Matégot; he only devoted one decade to the design of furniture and interior accessories, yet these distinctive 1950's designs would later be considered iconic.
Today, Matégot's designs are equally fit for purpose as when they were originally conceived and his legendary designs are both timeless and classic. The Nagasaki chair is once of few three-legged models and is still Matégot's best-known piece and is included in the permanent exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum.
Mathieu Matégot (1910 - 2001). After studying at Budapest's school of art and architecture, Matégot created scenery and tapestries for the National Theatre. He settled in France in 1931 and as a volunteer in the French army, was captured and not released until 1944. After returning home, he started producing handmade furniture in Paris. For a decade Matégot created various design classics but at the beginning of the 60's changed course to focus on the design of tapestries, for which he won international acclaim.
