Founded in Paris in 1927, Maison Desny developed within only a few years a radically modern vocabulary across furniture, lighting and metalwork. Moving away from an ornamental conception of Art Deco, its designs favoured pure geometric forms, smooth surfaces and the articulation of simple planes, resulting in an almost architectural aesthetic.
This centerpiece bowl is a particularly striking expression of this approach: the simplicity of its circular volume contrasts with a base conceived as a miniature architectural structure, in which the arch and perpendicular planes become both construction and ornament. This economy of means and geometric rigour are among the defining characteristics of Maison Desny’s work in the late 1920s.