The signature design of this table follows the aesthetics of necessity due to an ongoing scarcity of metal during the period of the Second World War, hence the reason for the table’s wooden legs. Among his many designs of this time, there was also a wooden table that is a prime example of Prouvé’s creations: the necessities of statics and the force path are clearly reflected in his design details – similar to the later EM Table that differs from the Table Solvay due to its metal table legs.
Jean Prouve was born into an artistic family in Nancy, France. Prouve trained as a metalsmith before attending engineering school in Nancy, and his intimate knowledge of metal remained the foundation of his work and career.
After opening his own workshop in 1923, Prouve began producing modern metal furniture of his own design as well as collaborating with some of the best-known French designers of the day, including Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand.
