The world of Christian Mattler: ‘a perfect archive of mid-century modern art and design’

Capucine Tamboise never imagined when she entered the top-floor flat of a Parisian apartment block in the 15th arrondissement that she would be stepping into a time capsule. ‘It was a perfect archive of mid-century modern art and design,’ says the head of Design sales at Christie’s in Paris.

The light-filled duplex, with sloping rectangular windows and a long balcony, was, until his death this year, the home of the architect Christian Mattler. In the course of his career, Mattler worked on several notable commissions, including Terminal 3 of Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport, and the restoration of the Tour Montparnasse.

Born in 1959, Mattler developed an early love of art through his Austrian mother, who introduced him to the stylish innovations of the Vienna Secession — works by artists and designers such as Josef Hoffmann and Otto Wagner.

After training as an engineer and architect, he was employed in the offices of the French designer Jean Prouvé, who instilled in him a commitment to craft and a respect for traditional materials.

This is evident in his compact, white-walled apartment, which embodies Le Corbusier’s ‘resplendent purity’ in its functional utility and its use of strategic primary colours. ‘It looks minimalist,’ says the specialist, ‘but actually there are many amazing things’ — by which she means armchairs by Prouvé, tables by Mathieu Matégot, vases by Georges Jouve and a superb group of Charlotte Perriand furniture. These objects will be offered in Design, 1925-2025: la Modernité en Héritage on 26 November 2025 at Christie’s in Paris.

One of the most dramatic features of the interior is the iron stairwell in which Mattler suspended artworks, among them a striking frieze by the painter Jean Dewasne. As co-founder of the Atelier d’Art Abstrait in 1950, Dewasne pioneered geometric abstraction in Paris and was responsible for the colour scheme of the Centre Pompidou, working alongside Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano.

‘Mattler had a deep intellectual curiosity,’ says the specialist, noting the many well-thumbed books to be found in the apartment. ‘He needed to know everything about a designer, who they worked with and hung out with, and that is reflected in his choice of art and design.’

Dominating the skyline through the windows is the imposing Tour Montparnasse, the hi-tech megastructure built at the end of the 1960s to express the optimism and progressive spirit of France’s ‘Trente Glorieuses’ (the 30-year post-war economic boom). ‘I think it is rather wonderful that Mattler always had the building in his peripheral vision,’ says Tamboise, suggesting that it has operated as a lodestar for ambitious, experimental design over the years.

‘When I look at this apartment, I think of Perriand’s statement about “the joy of creating and living”,’ says Tamboise. ‘I think Christian Mattler had a rare talent for perceiving beauty where others might have overlooked it.’

Below are five of Tamboise’s favourite pieces from the forthcoming sale.

Serge Mouille, ‘Très Grand Signal’ floor lamp, 1963

The luminous designs of Serge Mouille have become highly sought-after, most notably his minimalist ‘Très Grand Signal’, a slender brushed-aluminium and steel light which, when illuminated, emits a warm glow, resembling a high-rise tower at night.

Charlotte Perriand, ‘Tunisie’ bookshelf and bench, 1952

In 1959, Perriand was commissioned to design the student accommodation at the Tunisian pavilion of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. The plan was to create an aspirational blueprint for living. Colour codes demarcated different zones for sleeping, washing and studying. This bookshelf (and the ‘Tunisie’ console illustrated above) are rare vestiges of this brilliant modernist project, which disappeared during a period of refurbishment in the 1980s.

Georges Jouve, ‘Bonbonne’ vase, circa 1955

There is a smooth, Brancusi-like elegance to the work of the French sculptor and designer that embodies one of his key characteristics: that of incorporating a sense of stillness and calm into everything he made. This beautiful ceramic vase, painted in the designer’s trademark matte black, is striking for being unusually large.

Mathieu Matégot, Trolley, circa 1955

The witty creations of Hungarian-French designer Mathieu Matégot have developed a cult following in recent years. He is easily identifiable for his pioneering use of perforated sheet metal, which he folded into sleek, functional domestic items, and there is little the designer couldn’t achieve in his quest for the perfect geometric shape.

Jean Prouvé, ‘Visiteur n. 350’ armchairs, 1952

The elegant French designer had a flair for creating light, portable furniture. He believed everyone should have access to reasonably priced, serviceable chairs and tables and was happy to call himself a ‘factory man’. In the 1950s, his ‘Visiteur’ chair, formed of metal tubes, oak, foam and rubber, was virtually ubiquitous. Originally designed for a hospital waiting room, the chairs have a comfortable low position, with armrests wide enough to balance a glass.

Design, 1925-2025: la Modernité en Héritage is on view 22-26 November 2025 at Christie’s in Paris