Bookcase

This rare bookcase is considered to be one of the masterpieces created by the famous post-World War II architect Jacques Dupuis (1914-1984). Dupuis considered architecture as a total art, so his furniture was designed exclusively for his architectural projects. This bookcase was designed for the social housing units built between 1949 and 1954 in Malmedy and Auvelais (Sambreville), on behalf of the electricity companies of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse and the Malmedy Region (Esma). The bookcase is also an excellent example of designers’ involvement in social housing projects built during the 1950s.

In post-war Belgium, the furniture designed by architect Jacques Dupuis was noted for its originality. Trained at the La Cambre, he distanced himself from the rigor of Functionalist teaching and the whole of his career was influenced by the trips he made to the Netherlands and Scandinavia, as well as his discovery of Alvar Aalto’s work.

Dupuis designed sculptural objects that are graphic constructions in themselves. One such piece is this bookcase in white lacquered wood, acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation in 2019, along with a number of other pieces of furniture created by Belgian designers. During the 1960s, Dupuis significantly reduced the extent of his furniture production in order to concentrate more on photography and painting.