Armchair • Premier prix

At the time of its creation, the “Premier Prix” armchair was intended first and foremost for the war victims of World War II. A social yet formal piece, René Gabriel sought to bestow it with the most balanced proportions and rhythms, achieving an architecture of purity and elegance.

Its structure, with deliberately raw lines, is tempered by the refinement of its joinery: double-forked armrests, a grid-patterned backrest, and revealed connections. Such precision awakens the senses. Enhanced by the presence of solid wood, it evokes an organic resonance. As a plastic conclusion, the sheathed rear leg stands as René Gabriel’s signature.

Eighty years later, Hyacinthe pays homage to this history and this aesthetic — a sense of beauty that continues to shape our contemporary gaze.