If you pass by 14 Boulevard de l’Hôpital in the 13th arrondissement in Paris today, you won’t see anything special. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, it was the home of one of the most interesting design galleries of its time. Galerie Nicole Chapo was Paris’ temple of design; a cozy, domestic space that offered the type of relaxed lifestyle that had made its way into the homes of many Parisians.
Now, Magen H Gallery in New York has recreated Chapo’s legendary gallery in a special exhibition, entitled 14 Boulevard de l’Hôpital, presenting the typical furnishings exhibited at the gallery – furniture by Pierre Chapo and Charlotte Perriand, lightings by Isamu Noguchi and Serge Mouille, and ceramics by the potters of the village of La Borne. It was envisioned by interior designer Ryan Lawson.
Nicole Chapo (1925-1997) met her partner and husband Pierre Chapo during their studies at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. The two went on a year-long trip to North America, and upon their return to Paris in 1958 she opened the Chapo Company. First and foremostly it came to present Pierre Chapo’s wooden modernist furniture, but the two also include lighting, dishes, ceramics, and Scandinavian design furniture, acting as tastemakers who defined a particular lifestyle. Their first client was Samuel Beckett, and the gallery went on to see great success. This curated journey will be on view until December 20th at Magen H Gallery on East 11th Street.
