Eileen Gray: Her Life and Work

Eileen Gray was a pioneering designer and architect of the 20th century, known for her influential furniture designs and modernist principles. This new edition of her biography by Peter Adam provides an intimate survey of her life and work, including details about her paintings, exchanges with Le Corbusier, and the fate of her iconic E.1027 home.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 360 pages
\n Publication date: 03 October 2019
\n Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
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Eileen Gray (1878–1976) was one of the most influential designers and architects of the 20th century, exerting significant influence, often overlooked, particularly during her lifetime. Her original furniture commands staggering prices, and her iconic designs, such as the luxurious Bibendum chair and the refined yet functional E.1027 table, are celebrated worldwide.

Gray was a fiercely independent individual who often went unnoticed, despite her significant contributions to the field. She transitioned from creating opulent lacquer furniture to pioneering the modernist principle of form following function. Unlike major schools or movements like Bauhaus and De Stijl, she forged her own distinctive path, drawing inspiration from fellow International Style designers like Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, and Mies van der Rohe.

This comprehensive new edition of Peter Adam's biography, the only surviving person close to Gray during her reclusive later years, offers an intimate portrait of her life and work. Thoroughly updated and illustrated with material from Gray's personal archives, including correspondence, journals, photographs, and architectural sketchbooks, it provides a complete account of her life, from her aristocratic upbringing in Ireland to the extravagance of Art Deco-era Paris, her relationships with both male and female lovers, and her productive years in southern France. The book sheds light on Gray's elegant paintings, which have been largely overlooked, as well as tense exchanges with Le Corbusier and the fate of E.1027, the home she designed and furnished herself, which set a new standard for radically modernist living.

Gray's influence on design and architecture is undeniable, and her legacy continues to inspire and influence designers and architects today. Her innovative approach to form and function, her commitment to independence, and her ability to create timeless designs that transcend time and gender boundaries make her a true icon of the 20th century.

\n Weight: 1102g\n
Dimension: 245 x 177 x 33 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780500343548\n
Edition number: Revised\n