President's Desk by Henri Lesêtre, 1968. (Courtesy Demisch Danant)

MOBILIER NATIONAL
Demisch Danant
542 West 22nd St.
Through February 11, 2012

Dating back to the 17th century, Mobilier National is the institution specifically dedicated to decorating the French Republic’s official palaces and residences, at home and abroad. For the first time in America, Demisch Danant presents more than 20 rare commissions realized in the 1960s by the Atelier de Recherche et Création (ARC), a program launched by Mobilier National to promote a distinctly French contemporary style in decorative arts and design. With research and design development subsidized, these pieces were meant to be commercially produced in limited quantities. Many of the ARC creations have become icons of modernity, including Pierre Paulin’s famous designs for President Georges Pompidou’s private apartments at the Palais de l’Elysée and the President’s Desk (1968) by Henri Lesêtre (above).