Eileen Gray

Irish furniture designer and architect Eileen Gray (1878-1976) is considered a key figure in 20th century design for her influence in the Modernist movement. Born into a well-to-do family, Gray visited a number of different countries in her youth, including Italy, Switzerland and, above all, France, and particularly Paris during the 1900 World’s Fair. She then moved to London, where she was one of the first female pupils to be admitted to Slade School of Fine Arts (1901), before continuing her studies in Paris (1902-1905). Back in London, Gray worked for a furniture workshop in Soho. Dissatisfied with her designs, she focused on lacquering furniture, a discipline she perfected in Paris, working with the great Japanese master Sugawara for four years. She moved permanently to Paris (1907) and began applying her painting techniques to flat surfaces. She did not meet with great success at this early stage in her career, though some of ....

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