Mathieu Matégot: Perforated Metal
15.05.2020
Matégot was one of the most renowned French designers of the 1950's - pioneering the use of perforated sheet metal in design.
After the war Matégot took part in a major revival of the decorative arts, which had become reliant on the elegant but expensive materials inherited from Art Deco. The war had forced all cultural assumptions to be re-examined while also dramatically interrupting traditional supply channels. The necessities of reconstruction and limited budgets thus called on all creators to be imaginative with easily accessible materials.
The Conflict had left behind mountains of abandoned military hardware, now abundant scrap, and so Matégot turned his eyes and imagination to metal - a material he had come to know as a prisioner of war - when assigned to a factory in Germany her had utilised off-cuts of perforated sheet metal to make a toy car.
Following the war, Matégot established a workshop for making handcrafted furniture using a variety of materials such as glass, rattan, Formica and perforated sheet metal.
His furniture often had clever, practical and amusing designs - and were distributed in editions of 200.
The drinks trolley was definitely one of Matégot's personal favourites. He was to produce over 20 permutations. For him they symbolised a moment of peace and leisure, whilst 'theoretically' lightening the load of housework...
We have a small collection of rare Matégot drinks trolleys available for sale at Rose Uniacke - as well as a pair of coffee tables and a pair of nesting tables.
Rigitulle 'Venise' Trolley, 1956
Rigitulle 'Table Servante' Trolley, 1953
Black lacquered metal & brass, with a glass tray with engraved geometric motifs
Pair of 'Half Moon' Coffee Tables, 1954
Perforated sheet metal with white lacquer