His 1937 exhibit, “La Maison d’une Famille Française,” (Home of a French Family) illustrated these ideals. Arbus’ goal was to create
a domestic sanctuary, one that would contrast with the cold, industrial designs that were so often forced upon the French middle
class. He asserted that excellence of taste was not the prerogative of the aristocracy. The small home was designed with both
harmony and logic, offering the charm, dignity and urbanity that so many contemporary homes lacked.
In 1940, French Minister of Armament Raoul Dautry commissioned Arbus to construct a village near a new ammunition factory
in le Gard. The village was to include worker housing, a school and a common house. Again, the architect strove to design an
environment that would go beyond the typical requirements of most industrial, blue-collar towns – an environment that would
appeal to the human spirit.
Arbus continued his career in furniture design and architecture until his death in 1969. Commissions included rural farmhouses
in the Crau plains; interiors for the French Embassy at The Hague; a jewel cabinet for Princess Elizabeth of England; the grand
salon of the home of General Eisenhower; set decoration for Les Indes Galantes at the opera; the Government Palace at Dakar;
and the office of the Secretary General of NATO in Paris – among countless others. Each project adhered to the convictions to
which Arbus devoted his life.
The André Arbus Collection
Baker is proud to present The André Arbus Collection of furniture and lighting, one of the most exciting endeavors to date.
This best-in-class selection of pieces is modeled from the originals by this 20th century master of neoclassical design and
demonstrates the enduring beauty and prevailing relevance his furnishings represent. Moreover, the pieces in this collection
reflect Arbus’ genius for material, proportion and construction.
The many works of this influential artist have been studied and admired by furniture makers and designers over the last 50
years, but seldom reproduced. To create such thoughtful, precise furnishings requires a level of craftsmanship and savoir faire
that is rare, but Baker saw this collaboration as an honor and an opportunity to showcase its abilities and attention to detail.
The collection was developed in cooperation with Nathalie and Patrick Aubriot, who were chosen by Arbus’ daughter to act
as careful stewards of the Arbus oeuvre.
La Maison d’une Famille Française, 1937.
A powder room in the pavilion of
Manufacture de Sévres Exhibition, 1937.
Music lounge at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs, 1937.
The rug is also an Arbus design.
Photographs and drawings from André Arbus Archives – Courtesy of Galerie Yves Gastou, Musée des Arts Décoratifs – Paris.
4 The andré arbus collecTion
