Galerie Steph Simon, Paris Acquired from the above, early 1980s Phillips, New York, “Design Day Sale,” December 12, 2017, lot 30 Acquired from the above by the present owner
Literature
Pierre Émile Pralus, Serge Mouille: A French Classic, un classique français, Saint Cyr au Mont d’Or, 2006, pp. 91, 133, 205
Catalogue Essay
Serge Mouille began his training as a silversmith and moved to metalwork only after World War II when he founded his atelier with the goal of modernizing French lighting. In 1953, he introduced his first lighting design inspired by organic curves and feminine forms. Mouille’s work has been compared to his contemporary Alexander Calder for its kinetic nature, often expansively sweeping through space to create stark curves and balancing precariously. In this model, Mouille devised a single S-curve from lamp shade to plug to reimagine the standard desk lamp.