Although he was Romanian by birth, architect and designer Jean Gillon’s heart and soul belonged to his adopted country of Brazil. The country’s culture and revered architecture served as a muse for his mid-century furniture designs. Today Gillon ranks among the most interesting figures in Brazilian modernism, which is characterized by sensual forms and beautifully handcrafted chairs, tables and cabinets built from exotic hardwoods.
Gillon was born in Iasi and graduated from the city’s George Enescu National University of the Arts. He then moved to Paris, where he studied tapestry, worked at the newspaper Le Monde as a cartoonist and moonlighted as a set designer for the Paris Opera Ballet. He eventually left Paris for Vienna, where he studied architecture at the School of Industrial Arts, known today as the University of Applied Arts. In the early 1950s, Gillon was a visiting lecturer at London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts.
In 1956, Gillon moved with his wife and two daughters to São Paulo, where he developed a passion for Brazilian architecture, namely the work of modernists such as celebrated architect Lina Bo Bardi and designer José Zanine Caldas. Gillon took on interior decorating projects and formed the Fábrica de Móveis Cidam, which later became Italma Wood Art, in order to design furniture for his clients. Gillon’s furnishings, produced at Italma and also in collaboration with manufacturers such as Probel, were immensely popular and could be found in the planned capital city of Brasilia, a project launched in 1956 by Oscar Niemeyer.
Gillon designed everything from bowls and baskets to centerpieces, tables and other objects and furniture. However, he was best known for his lounge chairs and sofas, including his iconic Jangada chair. Named for the Portuguese word for traditional Brazilian fishing boats, the award-winning Jangada was framed in jacaranda in the late 1960s. The welcoming seat of Gillon’s visually striking trapezoidal lounge chair features plush leather cushions that are supported by nylon fishing rope.
Gillon continued to produce furniture for Italma Wood Art until he retired in 2003. He died in 2007, and today Gillon’s pieces remain highly covetable among interior designers and collectors of modern furniture.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Jean Gillon seating, decorative objects and serveware.
Brazilian Midcentury Dining Table in Rosewood, Unknown designer, 1960s
Located in New York, NY
This long dining table was manufactured in the 1960s, but its authorship is still in research. The table is made of solid Rosewood with a veneered top. The design is so well construc...
Rosewood
Brazilian Midcentury Dining Table in Rosewood, Unknown Designer, 1960s
Located in New York, NY
This long dining table was manufactured in the 1960s, but its authorship is still in research. The piece is made of solid Rosewood and Rosewood veneers, and its structure is composed...
Hardwood
Rosewood Dining Table with Glass Top, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted dining table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1947, evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes give the impression that the pieces float in the space. Tenreiro came to see the often heavy, overstuffed pieces that dominated the market as being incompatible with a tropical country like Brazil. He promoted furniture that was formally light, as described in his own words: “Lightness, which has nothing to do with the weight per se, but with grace and functionality in space.” Our pieces present original stamps of Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações...
Glass, Hardwood
Jorge Zalszupin Guanabara Rosewood Vintage Dining Table, 1959, Brazilian Design
By Jorge Zalszupin, L'Atelier San Paulo
Located in New York, NY
The iconic Guanabara is a table designed by Jorge Zalszupin (1922-2020) in 1959 and produced by his company, L'atelier. A long rosewood patchwork top rests over two concrete bases finished with black leather. This patchwork solution is present in other pieces designed by Zalszupin. Modern design taught us to use the material rationally, using the design as a tool to void waste. Aesthetically, the patchwork explores the different tones of the Brazilian Rosewood beautifully, achieving a fantastic result. At the time, the Guanabara table was presented as a dynamic piece that could be used in corporate spaces (as a meeting table...
Concrete
Brazilian Hardwood Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted dining table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1947, evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes...
Rosewood, Leather
Solid Caviuna Rectangular Dining Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This stunning Caviúna piece was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and produced in 1968 by Tenreiro Arquitetura e Interiores – located in Rio de Janeiro. Its simple design stands out with ...
Wood
Large Scale Rosewood Dining Table attributed to Milo Baughman
By Milo Baughman
Located in Atlanta, GA
Large Scale Rosewood Dining Table, attributed to Milo Baughman, unsigned, American, circa 1960s. It measures 80" length normally, and with both of it's 18" leaves installed, it expan...
Wood, Rosewood
Large Brazilian Dining Table in Solid Wood Style Joachim Tenreiro, 1960's
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Imposing Brazilian dining table from the 70's in the style of Joachim Tenreiro's work. Solid wood structure, superb top made of different solid wood s...
Wood
Mid Century Modern Danish Rosewood Dining Table Seats 8-10 Farstrup Mobler 1965
By Farstrup
Located in Portland, OR
A very good Mid Century Modern Danish rosewood extending dining table with two leaves, by Farstrup Mobler, circa 1965. This very stylish Danish MCM table having gently curved sides &...
Rosewood
Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Extendable Dining Table in Hardwood, Cimo, 1960s
By Moveis Cimo
Located in New York, NY
Produced by Cimo in Brazil during the 1960s, this extendable dining table exemplifies the material clarity and restrained geometry characteristic of mid-century Brazilian furniture. ...
Hardwood
Dining Table in Caviúna Wood by Novo Rumo, Brazilian Modern, Brazil, 1960s
By Novo Rumo
Located in New York, NY
A refined expression of Brazilian Modernism, this exceptional dining table by Novo Rumo embodies the movement's enduring commitment to structural clarity, masterful craftsmanship, an...
Caviuna
1960s H.W. Klein Extendable Dining Table for Bramin in Rosewood
By Bramin Mobler, H.W. Klein
Located in Victoria, BC
Designed by H.W. Klein and produced by Bramin in Denmark during the 1960s, this extendable dining table is a refined example of Danish Modern design, combining elegant proportions, e...
Hardwood
