Brutalist Chair Charles Dudouyt Circa 1930

Oak chair with straw seat, in the purest spirit of the work of Charles Dudouyt, circa 1930 Good original condition. Backrest height 88 cm, seat height 45 cm, width 48 cm. This chair is from the same provenance as the children's chair that you can see in the last photo and which is also for sale in our gallery. Charles Dudouyt was born in Paris on March 27, 1885. In November 1901, he passed the entrance examination for the Ecole municipale Germain Pilon (rue Élisabeth, Paris) where he took drawing, perspective and modeling applied to industry. After brilliant studies, he began an artistic career and illustrated novels, notably with Calmann-Lévy (The War of the Worlds, HG Wells), and magazines (L'Assiette au beurre). He also works at an antique store. In 1914, he was mobilized and assigned to a marine rifle regiment in Ypres where he was a stretcher bearer. He created, with the help of his wife Jeanne, decorative patterns for lampshades and cushions, sold to major decoration houses. In 1918, Charles Dudouyt opened a small workshop in which the bases of the lights he designed were made. In 1919, a sponsor asked him to design the woodwork for the Bar Daunou, the starting point of his career as an interior designer. In 1920, Charles Dudouyt opened L'Abeillée in Pontoise, a workshop where rustic-style furniture was designed (workshops and offices located rue de la Fontaine-d'Amour and 7 rue des Vinets). In 1933, he left Pontoise for Paris where he created La Gentilhommière which is both a workshop (on the Butte-aux-Cailles) and a showroom (at 63-67 boulevard Raspail). His style changes, purifies, becomes lighter. With the declaration of the Second World War, Charles Dudouyt locked himself above his store and never came out. He continues to design furniture, the style of which he further simplifies. He welcomes people in difficulty into his home. He observes the events from his window and films the Liberation of Paris. He died in 1946 at the age of 61. His son Jacques continued the activity of La Gentilhommière until 1960.