Jean Gillon. Plateau modele 109, c. 1960. Wood Art.
About the Item
- Creator:Italma Wood Art (Manufacturer),Jean Gillon (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 1.58 in (4 cm)Width: 13.78 in (35 cm)Depth: 5.71 in (14.5 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:c. 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6408237940312
Jean Gillon
Although he was Romanian by birth, architect and designer Jean Gillon’s heart and soul belonged to his adopted country of Brazil. The country’s culture and revered architecture served as a muse for his mid-century furniture designs. Today Gillon ranks among the most interesting figures in Brazilian modernism, which is characterized by sensual forms and beautifully handcrafted chairs, tables and cabinets built from exotic hardwoods.
Gillon was born in Iasi and graduated from the city’s George Enescu National University of the Arts. He then moved to Paris, where he studied tapestry, worked at the newspaper Le Monde as a cartoonist and moonlighted as a set designer for the Paris Opera Ballet. He eventually left Paris for Vienna, where he studied architecture at the School of Industrial Arts, known today as the University of Applied Arts. In the early 1950s, Gillon was a visiting lecturer at London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts.
In 1956, Gillon moved with his wife and two daughters to São Paulo, where he developed a passion for Brazilian architecture, namely the work of modernists such as celebrated architect Lina Bo Bardi and designer José Zanine Caldas. Gillon took on interior decorating projects and formed the Fábrica de Móveis Cidam, which later became Italma Wood Art, in order to design furniture for his clients. Gillon’s furnishings, produced at Italma and also in collaboration with manufacturers such as Probel, were immensely popular and could be found in the planned capital city of Brasilia, a project launched in 1956 by Oscar Niemeyer.
Gillon designed everything from bowls and baskets to centerpieces, tables and other objects and furniture. However, he was best known for his lounge chairs and sofas, including his iconic Jangada chair. Named for the Portuguese word for traditional Brazilian fishing boats, the award-winning Jangada was framed in jacaranda in the late 1960s. The welcoming seat of Gillon’s visually striking trapezoidal lounge chair features plush leather cushions that are supported by nylon fishing rope.
Gillon continued to produce furniture for Italma Wood Art until he retired in 2003. He died in 2007, and today Gillon’s pieces remain highly covetable among interior designers and collectors of modern furniture.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Jean Gillon seating, decorative objects and serveware.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Saint-Ouen, France
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Jean Gillon. Plateau rectangulaire , c. 1960. Wood ArtBy Italma Wood Art, Jean GillonLocated in PARIS, FRThis rectangular tray of the model 304, by Jean Gillon, dates from about 1960. Made of solid wood, this top has dimensions of 2 x 35 x 12 centimeters. The authenticity of this creati...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide...
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Gillon. Bowl with three cavities, model 407, c. 1960 Solid woodBy Jean Gillon, Italma Wood ArtLocated in PARIS, FRThis exceptional bowl designed by Jean Gillon, identifiable under the 407 model, dates from the 1960s. Made of solid wood, this object embodies the elegance and functionality charact...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Serving Bowls
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Gillon. Triangular spoon with details, c. 1960By Italma Wood Art, Jean GillonLocated in PARIS, FRTriangular spoon designed by Jean Gillon and produced by Italma/WoodArt, dating from the 1960s. Made of solid wood, this spoon is distinguished by its original geometric shape and ca...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Serving Pieces
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Gillon. Rectangular tray, model 321, c. 1960By Italma Wood Art, Jean GillonLocated in PARIS, FRThis rectangular top in solid wood, measuring 29 x 16.5 cm, was created by Jean Gillon. The tray bears the WoodArt label with the mention "1/321". The choice of solid wood emphasises...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Gillon, Bol en bois massif, c. 1960By Italma Wood Art, Jean GillonLocated in PARIS, FRBowl with handle designed by Jean Gillon and produced by Italma/WoodArt, dating from the 1960s. Made from solid wood, this bowl has dimensions of 16 x 3 x 10 cm, giving it a compact ...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Gillon. Suite of 4 square trays, c. 1960By Jean Gillon, Italma Wood ArtLocated in PARIS, FRSuite of four square trays designed by Jean Gillon, dating from about 1960. Each top is characterized by dimensions of 2 x 16 x 16 centimeters, offering a compact scale and a geometr...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide...
MaterialsHardwood
- Midcentury Brazilian Modern Jean Gillon Wood Art Jacaranda TraysBy Jean Gillon, wood artLocated in San Diego, CAA pair of Brazilian Modern Jean Gillon Wood Art solid Jacaranda trays. Retains the original labels. 1960s, Brazil.Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern More Dining and Entertaining
MaterialsWood, Jacaranda
- Brazilian Jacaranda Wood Tray Designed by Jean Gillon for Wood ArtBy Jean GillonLocated in Mexico City, CDMXWe offer this Brazilian Jacaranda wood tray designed by Jean Gillon, circa 1960. Excellent vintage condition, very minor scratches on underside consistent with age and use. Includes ...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsJacaranda
- Decorative Tray in Hardwood by Jean Gillon, 1960sBy Jean GillonLocated in New York, NYThis Brazilian mid century modern decorative tray was designed by Jean Gillon for WoodArt and made in Brazil in the sixties. Handcrafted from hard rosewood (also known as jacaranda),...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
MaterialsWood
- 1960s Brazilian Modern Pipe Holder in Rosewood by Jean GillonBy Jean GillonLocated in New York, NYAvailable today, this Brazilian mid-century modern pipe holder was designed by Jean Gillon for WoodArt and made in Brazil in the 1960’s. Handcrafted from hard rosewood (also known as...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
MaterialsWood
- Midcentury Brazilian Modern Charcuterie Platter in Hardwood, Jean Gillon, 1960sBy Jean GillonLocated in New York, NYAvailable today, this Midcentury Brazilian Modern Charcuterie Platter in Hardwood by Jean Gillon, is gorgeous! Handcrafted from hard rosewood (also known as Jacaranda), this charcut...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Tableware
MaterialsHardwood
- Jean Mazeaud and Jean Faverot, Art Deco Porcelain Fruit Bowl, Sevres, 1930By Manufacture Nationale de SèvresLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRJean Mazeaud and Jean Faverot, Art Deco porcelain fruit bowl, Sevres, 1930.Category
Vintage 1930s French Mid-Century Modern Serving Bowls
MaterialsPorcelain