Patrick Seguin, the owner and founder of Galerie Patrick Seguin, has done more than anyone to study and promote the value and historical significance of Jean Prouvé’s design. His passion for Prouvé began in the late 1980s, when he came across a Compas table and a Métropole No. 305 chair by Prouvé at the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris. From then on, he sought out Prouvé’s work wherever it could be found, collecting and studying his design legacy in depth. By presenting these carefully selected pieces at leading international art fairs, he also helped raise Prouvé’s standing and authority to the very top of the collectible design scene.
The full interview is featured in Magazine C Issue 1 ‘Standard chair’.
You’ve now been running Galerie Patrick Seguin for 35 years. How did it grow into a gallery that represents French modernist design?
At first, we dealt broadly with 1950s design. Soon, though, we decided to focus solely on collecting the work of five architects and designers who were active together, mainly in France, in the mid-20th century: Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Jean Royère. They were innovators and thinkers who put forward meaningful ideas as society industrialized after World War II and moved toward an era of mass production. After narrowing the gallery’s focus to these five creators, we established ourselves as a more specialized institution through exhibitions and publishing projects built on a range of concepts. Since the 2000s in particular, we’ve concentrated on promoting the value and beauty of French postwar design by regularly taking part in international art fairs such as Design Miami and Art Basel. We’ve also worked on several projects related to Jean Prouvé’s architecture with Jean Nouvel, the contemporary French architect who designed this gallery space.
Of the five designers, your affection for Jean Prouvé seems especially strong. Was there a particular moment that drew you to his design?
I’d been collecting contemporary art since the early 1980s and had built close relationships with many artists. Many people in the art world already appreciated Jean Prouvé’s sensibility and philosophy and recognized his value. I first discovered and bought his work in the late 1980s at the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris. It was a Compas desk made for a school dormitory and a Métropole No. 305 chair made for a cafeteria. They were simple designs from the 1950s, yet I fell for their distinctive beauty. I could tell at a glance that they were timeless. Shortly afterward, I found a space in the Bastille area of Paris and opened the gallery. Anything related to Jean Prouvé remains my main interest to this day.
What was the collectible design scene like in the 1990s, when you opened the gallery?
From the late 1980s, a new awareness of 20th-century modernism took shape in Europe and the US. Discerning collectors began to take an interest in iconic industrial design pieces, which set the stage for the rapid growth of the collectible design market. Influential art collectors such as Ronald Lauder, cofounder of the Neue Galerie in New York, Ileana Sonnabend, Larry Gagosian, and Peter Brant acquired pieces from our collection from the very beginning. The general public we met at solemn museums and lively international design fairs was also struck by the originality and artistry of Prouvé’s designs. Seeing responses that transcended exhibition formats and national borders, I couldn’t help but feel a deep reverence for him. I was gratified that his philosophy and pioneering design were finally receiving proper recognition as cultural heritage.
“I think the Standard chair is an outstanding expression of industrial aesthetics and ergonomic principles. It draws comfort from a simple design and stays durable despite its elegant form. His effort and sincerity in using materials efficiently produced a model of timeless design.”
Since the 2010s, Galerie Patrick Seguin has presented Jean Prouvé’s work in various pairings through collaborations with some of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries. How did these collaborations come about?
One day I realized that contemporary art and Jean Prouvé’s work created a certain synergy. For example, Prouvé and the American sculptor Alexander Calder kept up a close exchange during their lifetimes and worked on projects together. That’s why, in 2013, we collaborated with Gagosian Gallery in New York on an exhibition of Calder’s mobiles and Prouvé’s work. In 2015, we showed Prouvé’s prefabricated houses alongside the work of John Chamberlain, an American artist who made sculptures large and small from industrial waste. They worked in different fields, but the exhibition was built on what they shared as innovators who explored the potential of metal. Beyond Prouvé’s pursuit of pioneering industrial techniques and a minimalist aesthetic, I felt it was also very important that he grew up in an artistic environment and stayed close to fellow artists.
In what ways do you consider Jean Prouvé’s work pioneering?
Jean Prouvé’s work brings together technical progress and a distinctive aesthetic sense. It’s also striking how the influence of the creators around him is reflected in his work. He was the son of the well-known painter Victor Prouvé, and he was close to Émile Gallé, the renowned glass artist who played a key role in the École de Nancy movement in the early 20th century. Let me share one anecdote. One day, while explaining flowers to his son Jean, Victor Prouvé told him that “a hollow stem is more resistant than a solid one.” Interestingly, this is where the structural logic of Jean Prouvé’s design begins. When he made furniture and architectural columns, he used tubular structures of bent sheet steel to achieve the light, sturdy, and rational design that was central to his principles. The legs of the Standard chair and the compass-shaped axial portal frames of his prefabricated houses are also hollow tubes, which ensures great durability.
Of all Jean Prouvé’s design legacy, the Standard chair in particular has won wide acclaim, not only among design enthusiasts but among the broader public.
I think it comes down to the perfect harmony of form and function. I see the Standard chair as an outstanding expression of industrial aesthetics and ergonomic principles. It draws comfort from a simple design and remains durable despite its elegant form. His effort and sincerity in using materials efficiently produced a model of timeless design.
Galerie Patrick Seguin has helped people recognize past design as an important cultural asset and a legacy worth protecting. Your publishing projects, which bring together extensive material on Jean Prouvé’s design, seem especially meaningful.
Twenty years ago, we published an 800-page book on Jean Prouvé’s furniture and architecture, and five years ago we released a revised edition. A particularly interesting part of the book is a 60-page section introducing the private spaces of collectors around the world who own Prouvé’s work. You can see how his pieces sit in harmony with art, architecture, and design. In fact, my own space is included too (laughs). Over four years, we also published three series focused on prefabricated architecture. Each series consists of five volumes, and each volume explores a single building in depth through both historical and contemporary photographs.
As a true Prouvé devotee, you naturally live with his work at home, too.
Of course. I own a number of contemporary artworks as well as modernist furniture, and I’ve set Standard chairs around my dining table. Jean Prouvé’s designs go perfectly with the rest of my collection.
What has kept your passion for Jean Prouvé alive for more than 30 years?
The value of his remarkable design keeps motivating me. Jean Prouvé’s designs go beyond mere objects. They embody out-of-the-box thinking, a concern for sustainability, and human-centered design. Historically, too, his brilliance is undeniable. His pioneering spirit and innovative techniques continue to inspire collectors around the world, and they form a cultural legacy meaningful enough to serve as a cornerstone in the journeys of many design lovers. So as a collector, I can’t help but devote myself to sharing and preserving his contribution.
Is there a particularly memorable episode from your long journey as a collector?
My collection is like a tightly woven tapestry that bears witness to my long fascination with Jean Prouvé. The most memorable moment was the day I discovered the prefabricated houses and furniture he made for refugees in Africa. They were solutions designed for an African climate very different from France’s and made to be easy to transport. Another very special memory is the day in 1994 when we moved 454 chairs and 87 tables, just purchased from the University of Paris City, into the gallery. I have a photo that I’ve never shown anywhere, and I’d like to give it to Magazine C as a special gift.
You’ve said that your focus on modernist design stems from “respect for forward-looking design.” In that context, are there any designers or brands you’re watching right now, across all fields, including furniture, graphics, fashion, and architecture?
I’ll pick some fashion brands. I admire Raf Simons’s vision for new technological possibilities. I also find Anthony Vaccarello’s creative work at Saint Laurent and the modernity of The Row especially appealing. These brands show a forward-looking vision through sophisticated design, a curatorial approach, and meticulous attention to detail.
Finally, could you tell us about your plans and the issues that matter most to you?
I always focus on expanding my collection of Jean Prouvé’s architecture and try to keep a close eye on the contemporary art scene. As a collector, I also need to stay open so that I can share the cultural heritage of design and give viewers a richer experience. In that sense, our recent immersive exhibition at Galerie Patrick Seguin, ‘Jean Prouvé, Maison Les Jours Meilleurs, 1956’, which combined virtual reality (VR) with historical archives, was a major focus. In the gallery, we installed the central core of a Jean Prouvé house, and VR gave visitors the experience of stepping into an industrial house built on the banks of the Seine. Another important plan is to take part in art fairs around the world, including in New York, Miami, Basel, and Paris.
Want to dive deeper?
Issue.01 Standard Chair
The Standard Chair traces its origins to Chair No. 4, created in 1934 by French designer and architect Jean Prouvé. Over many years, Prouvé refined its materials and design, arriving in the 1950s at a 'standard' chair suited to mass production.
