Much has been said about this sofa model, but one thing is for sure: this 1962 classic was way ahead of its time in terms of design. An iconic designer of the 1960s and 1970s, Pierre Paulin made a name for himself thanks to the modernity of his work inspired as much by Scandinavian design as by Japanese aesthetics.

The design of the “442” succeeds at being both fundamentally modern and classic at the same time. The sofa consists of a large, three-seater body standing in four chromed steel bars as legs along the front and back. The chrome bars give this sofa its iconic modernist look, making it look like as if the upholstered body was sculpted around them. This three-seater sofa combines a rectangular shape and long lines with rounded edges. The low back and deep seats give the sofa an open look with extra cosiness and comfort provided by the individual loose seat and back cushions. The elegant leather fabric is used creatively with the sofa’s sides and back being covered in it tightly, showing off the chrome bars and also framing and accentuating the looser seat and back cushions. The thin legs fully support the sofa which shows the skill of the manufacturer as well. Artifort started in 1890 when Jules Wagemans started a business as an upholsterer in Maastricht. A great deal changed with the arrival of the interior and furniture designer Kho Liang Ie. In 1959, he recruited the French designer Pierre Paulin, who introduced new techniques and constructions. Thus, the collaboration between Paulin and the Dutch furniture manufactory began and from this fertile collaboration the iconic “442” sofa was born.

Pierre Paulin's creations are now timeless classics of modern design, celebrated by numerous awards and retrospectives around the world. This is especially true for this three-seater sofa model, a modernist masterpiece. His work is still described today as modern and innovative; designs that don't sacrifice comfort for form.

SOLD

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The sofa is upholstered in brown leather with beautiful patina. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.

Dimensions:

83.46 in W x 31.5 in D x 29.53 in H

212 cm W x 80 cm D x 75 cm H

About the designer:

Pierre Paulin (9 July 1927 – 13 June 2009) was a French furniture and interior designer. His uncle Georges Paulin was a part-time automobile designer and invented the mechanical retractable hardtop, who was later executed by the Nazis in 1941 as a hero of the French Resistance.

After failing his Baccalaureate, Pierre trained to become a ceramist in Vallaurius on the French Rivera and then as a stone-carver in Burgundy. Soon after, he injured his right arm in a fight, ending his dreams as a sculptor. He then went on to attend the Ecole Camondo in Paris. He had a stint with the Gascoin company in Le Havre where he gained an interest in Scandinavian and Japanese design. He was famed for his innovative work with Artifort in the 1960s and interior design in the 1970s.

The exacerbated sculptural forms of his creations brought a breath of fresh air to the Artifort. They have also earned Paulin many prizes around the world. Artifort still uses many of its creations from the sixties and seventies.

Paulin's work is exhibited in a multitude of museums around the world. The furniture designer also created the interior of the private apartments of French Presidents Pompidou and Mitterrand in the Elysée Palace in Paris. On June 13, 2009, Pierre Paulin died in a hospital in Montpellier (France). President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to this artist who, in his words, 'made design art'. In November 2009, Pierre Paulin posthumously received the British distinction 'Royal Designer for Industry (RDI)'.