Intérieurs Français

In his ‘Intérieurs Français’ (French Interiors), Jean Badovici reproduced 40 interiors by some of the leading designers of his day. Although the hand-colored impressions may seem a little strange at first sight, his illustrations form important records about modern interior design in 1920s France. They show us the authentic combinations of furniture, textures and colors as they were brought together by the designers and home owners, in a way that would be difficult, if not impossible to reconfigure from our own modern perspective. This interior of an upstairs landing is a good example. It is dominated by the wallpaper of Atelier Martine of ca. 1912. Founded by Paul Poiret (French, Paris 1879-1944 Paris) in 1911, Atelier Martine produced many similarly heavily patterned wallpapers and fabrics, which were very popular during the Art Deco period. The combination with the yellow staircase and the turquoise upholstery give the interior an intensity which seems worlds apart from the contemporary, basic interiors created not so far away by the architect Le Corbusier (French (born Switzerland), La Chaux-de-Fonds 1887–1965 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin).