Table by René Gabriel, Reconstruction period

Emblematic of the furniture for disaster victims designed during the reconstruction period in the 1950s in France, this solid oak and plywood table is a powerful testament to an era of resilience. René Gabriel, a French decorator and designer celebrated in the 1930s for his understated, accessible, and modern creations, was commissioned by the French government to design economical, simple, and robust furniture, mass-produced to quickly rehouse disaster victims. He thus helped define a functional, refined, and high-quality style, adapted to the urgent needs of the time. This table is particularly distinguished by its ingenious mortise-and-tenon joints, facilitating assembly and durability. The solid oak compass legs are sturdy, connected by a horizontal crosspiece, reinforcing the stability of the whole. This piece of furniture is beautifully patinated; the slightly honey-colored oak has some charming traces of time after 80 years of use by its owner. This table remained in the Norman family to whom it was given after the war. The whole is remarkably well preserved.