Eileen Gray

Ireland

Person

Designer

Born August 9, 1878, Enniscorthy, Ireland Died October 31, 1976, Paris, France Eileen Gray began her formal art training at the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 1900 and continued her studies in Paris from 1902 at the Académie Colarossi and the Académie Julian. After early lacquer work with D. Charles in London, she settled permanently in Paris in 1906 and worked from 1907 with the Japanese lacquer artist Seizo Sugawara. A journey to Morocco with Evelyn Wyld led to her interest in weaving, natural dyes, and the design of rugs and carpets. In 1910 she opened workshops in Paris for lacquer work and carpet weaving. Her presentation of lacquer pieces at the Salon de la Société des artistes décorateurs in 1913 attracted the attention of the collector Jacques Doucet. In 1919 she completed her first comprehensive interior design project for Mathieu Lévy and developed the block screen. She opened Galerie Jean Désert in Paris in 1922. International recognition followed with the design of house E 1027 (1926–1929), created in collaboration with Jean Badovici. As a founding member of the Union des artistes modernes (UAM), she became one of the leading figures of modern design. Her later works included the house Tempe a Pailla near Menton and the renovation and extension of Lou Pérou in Saint-Tropez. In 1972 she was named Royal Designer for Industry and was honoured with her first retrospective exhibition in London.