Mathieu Matégot

Mathieu Matégot

Although the designer, architect and artist Mathieu Matégot originates from Hungary, where he studied art and architecture in Budapest, following his graduation in 1931 he spent most of his life in Paris. Of particular importance in Matégot's biography are the years between 1939 and 1944, which he spent as a member of the French army in German captivity. During this time he became acquainted with the material and technique that later became the basis of his furniture design work, giving his works a special, artistic aspect: the material is perforated sheet steel, a material that, like fabric, can be bent, folded and shaped, allowing Matégot to create a wealth of furniture and accessories, often in conjunction with steel tubing. Matégot was also the one who gave his patented process his name "Rigitulle". Thus throughout the course of the 1950s around 400 designs were produced by Mathieu Matégot in his own factories, factories established in order to guarantee high quality standards. His works, which are reissued like the Matégot trolley today and produced by Gubi, adhere to an unmistakable lightness and transparency, as well as an impressively timeless modernity.