The innovative French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand spoke of “l’art d’habiter,” or the "art of living.” She saw her designs not simply as objects but as part of a larger social program to extend the pleasures of modern life. Her long career encompassed much of the history of modern design in France, and over the years Perriand collaborated with Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Jean Prouvé. Through her own practice, she led projects in Europe, Asia, and South America.

In March 1956, Galerie Steph Simon opened on Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris. Perriand was the gallery's artistic director and leading exhibitor alongside Jean Prouvé. The gallery issued several of Perriand's furniture models designed during the 1930s and onwards, mainly executed in the workshop of master cabinetmaker André Chetaille. The series of organically shaped furniture grew and the present table, also known as "Feuille" (Leaf), is arguably one of Perriand's most iconic forms. Not only for its beauty but because in many ways it sums up her humanist design, with an emphasis on human tactile values. The table is made of solid mahogany, where the curvature of the top is shaped so that all those sitting can face each other, and the thickness and profile of the top correspond to the shape and size of a human hand. The form is thus not random, but carefully considered by Perriand to practice the “art of living”.

Read more about Charlotte Perriand and the "Forme Libre" table