96
Standard & Standard SP, Jean Prouvé, 1934/50
Jean Prouvé created the Standard chair in 1934. This design exemplifies a
fundamental aspect of Prouvé’s numerous furniture pieces and architectural
works: his unwavering focus on structural requirements.
The load on the back legs of a chair is greater than on the front legs – this is
hardly a surprising discovery, but no other seating design demonstrates this
principle as clearly as the Standard chair.
The 1934 model was introduced as Chair No. 4, since it had been preceded by
three prototypes; later developments continued under the name ‘Standard’.
The chair was manufactured in Jean Prouvé’s own factory. Vitra regards
Prouvé as one of the twentieth century’s leading designers and expanded the
palette of Prouvé furniture in 2022 to include several of the Frenchman’s
original colours.
Technical drawing of the ‘Guéridon rond’ and the
‘Chaise métallique’, a version of the Standard chair,
approx. 1950.
document11704045087258048944.indd 96
document11704045087258048944.indd 96
06.02.2025 11:16:52
06.02.2025 11:16:52
1
( 1 / 2 ) Standard SP : ( 1 ) 13 Prouvé Gris Vermeer powder-coated (smooth) ( 2 ) 88 Prouvé Blanc Colombe (Ecru) powder-coated (smooth) ·
35 basalt · Jean Prouvé, 1934/1950 ( 3 ) Guéridon · 70 natural solid oak, oiled · Jean Prouvé, 1949 ( 4 ) Lampe de Bureau ·
06 Japanese red powder-coated (smooth) · Jean Prouvé, 1930
2
3
4
document11704045087258048944.indd 97
document11704045087258048944.indd 97
06.02.2025 11:16:59
06.02.2025 11:16:59
