Mathieu Matégot was one of the first furniture designers to use perforated sheet steel. The Nagasaki chair is one of Matégot’s most famous models to make use of this material. First presented at the 1954 *Salon des artistes décorateurs* in Paris, it comprises two bent tubular steel elements that support a backrest and an oval seat made from Rigitulle, a type of perforated steel sheet invented by Matégeot. The black-lacquered steel tubes and back contrast with the yellow of the seat: A subtle colourist, Matégot used primary colours to accentuate his graphic furniture designs. The Nagasaki is one of few famous three-legged chairs. The Nagasaki series also includes a round table, a high stool, and a chair with armrests. There is also a four-legged chair and a version made from rattan called the Kimono. In 1954, Matégot used the Nagasaki series to furnish La Saladière, Paris’s first vegetarian restaurant. Since the initial production in the 1950s, distributed by Matégot’s own company, the series has been reissued by the Sentou Gallery and Gubi.
Text: Karine Lacquemant
