Hervé Van der Straeten’s sculptural furnishings ‘transcend all trends’

The French designer is a master of creating striking pieces that complement collectors’ art and objects without overpowering them. A selection of magnificent pieces come to Christie’s New York this December

By Stephanie Sporn
Hervé Van der Straeten’s sculptural furnishings

This Manhattan residence, designed by Brian Murphy, featured many pieces by Hervé Van der Straeten, including the ‘Volubile’ Sconce, Unique Pair of ‘Tourbillon’ Floor Lamps, ‘Passage Inox’ Console and ‘Graine’ Coupe.

Hervé Van der Straeten has long eschewed creative constraints. ‘My design philosophy has always evolved around freedom and being able to make whatever I wanted,’ the French designer told Christie’s. An École des Beaux-Arts graduate, he initially began making jewellery in the mid-1980s before establishing his revered bronze and woodworking workshops two decades later. ‘I’m always aiming to create concepts that are very strong and graphic, but as you get closer to the pieces, you discover the quality and craftsmanship of the materials.’

Van der Straeten’s wide-ranging designs have become national treasures — not only did he conceive the iconic gold-ringed J’Adore perfume bottle for Dior in the 1990s, but his furnishings have pride of place at Élysée Palace, the official residence of the President of France, as well as in the homes of many of the world’s top art collectors.

Following the successful sale of furnishings from a striking Fifth Avenue residence this past June, including several bespoke pieces by Van der Straeten, additional works by the designer will be offered in  Design on 11 December at Christie’s New York, followed by the Modern Collector sale in March 2025.

A pair of Van der Straeten’s ‘Capsule’ stools stood before Jean Dubuffet’s Campagne Cursive (Avec 4 Personnages) (1975) in the Manhattan residence. © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris. Hervé Van Der Straeten (b. 1965), Pair of ‘Capsule’ stools, No. 174, model designed 2002. Each 13¾ x 24 x 24 in (35 x 61 x 61 cm). Estimate: $5,000–7,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York

The ‘Ovale’ ceiling light by Van der Straeten illuminated a hallway of the residence designed by Brian Murphy. Hervé Van Der Straeten (b. 1965), Small ‘Ovale’ ceiling light, No. 205, model designed 2002. 25 in (63.5 cm) drop, 15½ in (39.4 cm) diameter. Estimate: $8,000–12,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York

When the interior designer Brian Murphy was tasked with designing a prominent American art collector’s New York City apartment in the mid-2000s, he turned to Van der Straeten for the perfect pieces. The brief, the French designer remembered, called for ‘furnishings that were impactful but did not compete with the art.’ The collection included Jean Michel-Basquiat’s 1981 Untitled, as well as works by Alexander Calder and Jean Dubuffet, amongst others.

An elegant room corner featuring a gold pedestal table, a fluffy white stool, and patterned draperies.

The gilt bronze and petrified wood of this ‘Quille’ side table by Philippe Hiquily complemented the organic lines of Van der Straeten’s ‘Chèvre’ stool. Philippe Hiquily (1925-2013), ‘Quille’ side table, designed circa 1987. 23 x 13¾ x 16⅜ in (58.5 x 35 x 41.7 cm). Estimate: $7,000–9,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York. Hervé Van Der Straeten (b. 1965), ‘Chèvre’ stool, No. 55, circa 2007. 19 x 20 x 20 in (51 x 54 x 54 cm). Estimate: $8,000–12,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York

After working on the client’s San Francisco house, designed in an opulent French Régence style, Murphy opted for something ‘modern, yet classical’ for their Manhattan home. ‘When I went to Hervé’s studio in Paris, I was amazed by the quality of his pieces and the uniqueness and sculptural aspects of his work. Even today I think his pieces are unlike anyone else’s,’ Murphy told Christie’s.

Van der Straeten’s patinated and polished metallic furnishings complemented colourful works by Yves Klein, Claes Oldenburg and more. Van der Straeten attributes his love of bronze to his origins in jewellery, though he frequently works with wood, while also experimenting with more unusual materials. Parchment, lacquer, marquetry, stones, crystals and anodised aluminium infuse his designs with exquisite details and finishes.

Hervé Van Der Straeten (b. 1965), 'Segments' chest of drawers, No. 329, produced 2001. 33¼ x 75¼ x 18½ in (84.3 x 191 x 49.5 cm). Estimate: $20,000–30,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York

In certain instances, collaborating with Murphy pushed Van der Straeten to expand his palette. One of the unique works he created for the Fifth Avenue residence is a chest of drawers in a robin’s egg blue lacquered wood with vertical patinated bronze stripes. ‘I would never have chosen that strong of a blue, but the result is quite striking,’ said Van der Straeten.

Lighting and furniture that capture ‘a sense of movement’ are another signature look for the designer. In the Manhattan apartment, a pair of gilt bronze ‘Tourbillon’ floor lamps evoked swirling twigs, while chandeliers featuring crystal balls flood the rooms with light. The ‘Bubbling’ chandelier comprises a halo of crystal orbs, while the ‘Billes’ chandelier is nearly entirely covered in them.

Open link https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6487084?
Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), ‘Passage Inox’ Console, No. 315, Model Designed 2006. Poly-mirror stainless steel. 33 ¼ x 49 ¼ x 18 ⅞ in (84.3 x 125.2 x 48 cm). Estimate: $10,000-15,000. Offered in Design on 7 June 2024 at Christie’s in New York

Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), ‘Passage Inox’ Console, No. 315, Model Designed 2006. Poly-mirror stainless steel. 33 ¼ x 49 ¼ x 18 ⅞ in (84.3 x 125.2 x 48 cm). Sold for $30,240 in Design on 7 June 2024 at Christie’s in New York

Open link https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6487086?
Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), ‘Piercing’ Console, Model No. 304, Model Designed 2006. Poly-mirror stainless steel, lacquered wood. 35 ⅛ x 71 x 24 in (89.2 x 180.3 x 61 cm). Estimate: $15,000-20,000. Offered in Design on 7 June 2024 at Christie’s in New York

Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), ‘Piercing’ Console, Model No. 304, Model Designed 2006. Poly-mirror stainless steel, lacquered wood. 35 ⅛ x 71 x 24 in (89.2 x 180.3 x 61 cm). Sold for $35,280 in Design on 7 June 2024 at Christie’s in New York

In addition to eye-catching lighting, Van der Straeten has a penchant for architectural console tables. Two iterations in the client’s home can also be found in his own: the ‘Passage Inox’ console, a poly-mirror stainless steel design featuring five arches, and the ‘Piercing’ console, an asymmetric, poly-mirror stainless steel style with lacquered wood feet. Van der Straeten described the latter as ‘the convergence of a cylinder and a rectangle,’ hence the volume’s striking cutout.

Another design Van der Straeten has in his own home is the ‘Dada’ mirror, composed of three concentric amorphous circles, each with different patterns in patinated and polished bronze. ‘I named this mirror after Dada because followers of the movement would write or sketch without thinking too much,’ he explained, likening the mirror to a doodle one makes while talking on the telephone. ‘The intention was not about designing something but just to let the mind go.’

Modern zigzag bedside table featuring a lamp and books next to a bed with a patterned headboard.

A pair of ‘Cumulus’ side tables by Van der Straeten were amongst the impactful furnishings in the Manhattan residence. Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), Pair of ‘Cumulus’ side tables, circa 2007. Each 29⅛ x 32¼ x 19 11⁄16 in (74 x 82 x 50 cm). Estimate: $12,000–18,000. Offered in Design on 11 December 2024 at Christie’s in New York

Van der Straeten considers his ‘main source of inspiration’ to be the freedom found in modern and contemporary art. ‘I use so many materials and have a large vocabulary of shapes and designs,’ he said, citing Piet Mondrian, Constantin Brancusi and the American sculptor Tom Friedman’s ever-evolving practice. Van der Straeten is also passionate about architecture and the history of decorative arts from around the globe, especially the simplicity and refinement of Japanese craft.

These myriad influences come through in Van der Straeten’s furnishings, which are as dynamic as the interiors in which they reside. At one point during the design process of the Fifth Avenue apartment, Murphy recalled he thought, ‘Am I getting lazy with too much Hervé?’ Confident in the unique furnishings’ quality and innovative design, Murphy cast his doubts aside: ‘I think Hervé’s pieces will stand the test of time and transcend all trends.’

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