Pierre Lagrain 1889-1929.

"There were always golden rocks to throw
At those who admit defeat too late
Those were our times, those were our times"

- Beirut











"The times we had
Oh, when the wind would blow with rain and snow
Were not all bad
We put our feet just where they had, had to go, Never to go...."




2 side tables + stools.
(top image by Pierre Lagrain, 2nd image in the style.)


"Pierre Legrain’s name cannot be dissociated from the rebirth of modern bookbinding. Needless to say, it must be remembered that it was at the instigation of Jacques Doucet that the draftsman and designer unexpectedly found himself engaged in the art of bookbinding. Other than the diversity of his gifts, his culture and his avant-garde spirit nothing seemed to have prepared him for this undertaking.

Pierre Legrain’s décors are almost always abstract and linear, with the letters of his book titles often serving as the ornamental motif. But notwithstanding their appearance of freedom, his compositions are conceived with an architectural rigor. Abandoning the customary browns, reds and greens that prevailed in bookbinding, Legrain employed leather as well as unexpected materials with unusual, light tones whose delicate, refined harmonies complemented the purity of his rhythms. His work was a stunning success and whilst the adventure lasted only a dozen years, Legrain left a decisive mark on the art of bookbinding. His influence continues to persist. Moreover, his activities as a decorator cannot be forgotten. At the same time he was working for Jacques Doucet, Jeanne Tacharp commissioned Legrain to refurbish her Paris home and her villa in La Celle-Saint-Cloud. Everything from the doorlocks and lighting, to the furniture, silverware and even the garden revealed the design of a book binder; the leather representing grass and the mosaics in flowers. All of it had been created by Legrain."


(biographical text taken from here)








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