Paul Dupré Lafon was born in 1900 in Marseille. He began his secondary studies with the Jesuits before pursuing an artistic career at the Beaux-Arts. The young artist moved to Paris to work as an architect and decorator. His early creations were characterized by an austere and bourgeois Art Deco style, but his career took off after a significant commission in 1929 to decorate a grand townhouse near Parc Monceau.

Lafon's work demonstrates a mastery of ensemble decoration, balancing refinement and functionality with exceptional form. He embraced a modern, minimalist Art Deco style, implementing the avant-garde doctrine of functionalism: leveraging technique in service of a highly contemporary aesthetic.

His attention to materials led him to collaborate with Hermès for leather and to work with skilled cabinetmakers and artisans, using noble materials such as Rio rosewood, Macassar wood, ivory, parchment, ebony, and marble in his diverse creations. He crafted harmonious combinations of wood and chrome metal, accenting his understated furniture with touches of stone, iron, and ceramic tiles. A discreet artist, Lafon preferred the satisfaction of his loyal clientele to the public spotlight of exhibitions. His furniture pieces are highly sought after on the art market as rare artifacts of a bygone era, and his decorative style continues to inspire contemporary interior design.

Our auction house regularly presents some of his works in decorative arts sales, where their rarity is fiercely contested by determined collectors.

Our specialists are experienced in appraising iconic pieces from 20th-century Decorative Arts and Design. They are available for free, confidential valuations by appointment. Feel free to contact us to discuss the purchase or sale of a piece by this artist or within this field.

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