DU PLANTIER Marc

Marc du Plantier was born in 1901 in Madagascar. In 1922, after obtaining his baccalaureate in Paris, he joined Gabriel Héraud's architecture studio, Héraud being a runner-up for the “Prix de Rome” at the “École des Beaux-Arts”, and simultaneously took painting classes at the Académie Julian.

Subsequently, he created dress models for the fashion houses Doucet and Jenny, as well as film sets. In 1929, he married Anne, a designer for the Jenny fashion house. That same year, du Plantier established himself as a decorator. His early creations immediately defined his style, blending modern and ancient elements, as well as architectural interventions. Marc du Plantier stood out by working exclusively for a clientele belonging to the Parisian elite and nobility; among his clients and friends were, among others, Princess Liliane de Faucigny-Lucinge, Baron André de Fouquières, Paul Poiret, and the Marquis and Marquise de Casa Valdès.

In 1931, du Plantier designed the apartment of Madame D. André on the Quai d’Orsay, featuring furniture with metal structures and lacquered table top alongside pieces by Jacques Adnet and antique furniture. This was his first major success and earned him an article in "Art et Industrie". From that moment on, commissions multiplied, and in 1932, du Plantier worked for Baron Henry de Rothschild and completed one of his most remarkable projects for Michel Knabel, for whom he designed shagreen-covered furniture decorated with gilded bronzes.

That same year, he moved to Boulevard Suchet; his apartment revealed an image of an idealized antiquity, a refined luxury that was almost minimalist. His "Egyptian" seats, made of oak, and antique sculptures were reflected in the colored mirrors and indirect lighting that became his specialty. His neo-Greek creations were highly successful, and Marc du Plantier continued to secure projects, becoming one of the most important decorators of the pre-war period.

In 1939, as World War II loomed, he left France for Spain, where his Parisian contacts opened the doors to the capital’s palaces. He decorated the homes of Spain's great families, for whom he designed neoclassical furniture often made of metal.

After ten years in exile, he returned to Paris in January 1949. Jacques Adnet gave him the opportunity to reclaim his place on the French scene by entrusting him with the staging of the “Salon des Artistes Décorateurs”. Thus, after his return to France, he created new furniture with a modern and rigorous style that contrasted with his Spanish period.

In the 1950s, du Plantier decorated numerous apartments and houses and continued to create new furniture, objects, and lighting pieces. In 1961, he went to work in Mexico and then in Los Angeles. He returned to Paris in 1966 and created a few pieces with metal bases and tinted plexiglass seats, which were produced in small series by the Lacloche gallery.

In the early 1970s, he still completed a few commissions for clients. In 1973, an exhibition titled "Art Deco Marc du Plantier Dining-Room" was held in New York at the Sonnabend Gallery, showcasing several of his pieces, including the "Egyptian" seats.
Marc du Plantier passed away in September 1975.