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André Arbus was born in 1903 in Toulouse, in France into a family of cabinetmakers spanning several generations. He pursued classical studies and later turned to painting, enrolling at the School of Fine Arts in Paris.
In 1925, he showcased his first furniture pieces at the “exposition internationale des arts décoratifs”, which garnered significant acclaim, prompting him to continue his career as a decorator. He participated in various exhibitions in Toulouse, such as the “exposition de la société des artistes méridionaux”, and in Paris, the “Salon d'Automne”.
By 1926, he was appointed artistic director of the family cabinetmaking business. In 1930, André Arbus opened an art gallery in Paris called "L'Époque," where he exhibited his decorative arts creations, as well as paintings and sculptures by artists like Vadim Androusov, who would become his main collaborator for sculpture. That same year, Arbus became a member of the “Artistes Méridionaux” Society.
Two years later, he permanently moved to Paris, closing the gallery "L'Époque" to establish his office at 24 Avenue Matignon. From then on, André Arbus exhibited his works in Parisian art galleries while continuing to participate in numerous decorative arts exhibitions. In 1934, he won the Blumenthal Prize, solidifying his reputation. The following year, he opened an art gallery on Avenue Matignon, showcasing only his decorative arts works, and obtained a government commission for the furnishing and decoration of the Ministry of Agriculture's lounges.
During the 1937 “Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques”, where he presented his creations in several pavilions including " la maison d’une famille française” (The House of a French Family) and " une demeure en Ile-de-France” (A Residence in Île-de-France), he emerged as a proponent of "the beautiful French tradition" and gained fame. Subsequently, he designed private apartments in Paris and received official commissions for furniture for the French institutes in Bucharest and Stockholm, as well as for the Ministry of Colonies.
At the beginning of the war, he collaborated with the Minister of Armament in setting up a village for the workers of a munitions factory. He began his career as an architect in 1942, constructing several country houses in Provence at the request of Jean Couteaud, an engineer for the Rhône Company.
From 1945 onwards, the “Mobilier national” (National Furniture Administration) commissioned furniture from him for the French Embassy in The Hague, the Rambouillet Castle, and the Élysée Palace. He also created gifts given by France to foreign sovereigns.
After the war, he designed furniture to meet the needs of Reconstruction. He resumed decorating and furnishing for private clients and was tasked with building port facilities such as the Planier Lighthouse in Marseille. He participated in numerous exhibitions and fairs, collaborating with artists including Jacques Adnet, with whom he was friends. In 1949, he participated in the “Formes françaises” (French Forms) exhibition in New York, showcasing French decorative arts in the United States.
Subsequently, André Arbus decorated several ocean liners, such as the "Provence" and the "Bretagne," before dedicating himself to sculpture until his death in 1969.
