We Are Childan

Childan is a gallery dedicated to 20th-century decorative arts and design, specializing in the research, selection, and promotion of pieces that testify to the great aesthetic movements of the last century. Our collection spans a pivotal period where innovation, craftsmanship, and modernity redefined the role of objects and furniture in everyday life. From the golden age of Art Deco to the modernist explorations of the postwar years, Childan highlights the creators who shaped a new culture of design and whose works continue to resonate in contemporary interiors. Art Deco holds a central place in our selection. Figures such as André Mare and Louis Sue, founders of the Compagnie des arts français, combined bold geometric compositions with refined materials like lacquer, shagreen, and exotic woods. Eugène Printz, master of rosewood furniture, made history with organic lines and remarkably modern finishes. Eyre de Lanouy, with his elegant compositions, enriched the decorative vocabulary of the 1920s and 1930s by blending rigor with sophistication. In the tradition of Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann and the great Parisian decorators, these creators embodied an era where luxury expressed itself through purity of form and the nobility of materials. Childan pays tribute to this heritage by presenting rare pieces that bear its enduring imprint. The transition of the 1930s and 1940s, marked by the emergence of simpler, more functional forms, paved the way for postwar modernism. René Gabriel, an essential figure of France’s reconstruction, introduced rational, accessible, and durable design, announcing the streamlined aesthetics of the coming decades. In this context, Charlotte Perriand combined modernist rigor with a deeply humanist vision, while Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier created furniture that defined a universal architectural language. This period marked a shift from decorative luxury to modernity centered on functionality, comfort, and universality. In the following decades, European design took multiple directions. Pierre Chapo established himself as a master of solid oak furniture, exploring structural possibilities and developing a unique sculptural vocabulary. His tables and chairs, such as the T35 or the S24, embody a subtle dialogue between artisanal tradition and formal innovation. Olivier Mourgue, with his Djinn chair immortalized by cinema, epitomized the futuristic spirit of the 1960s, while Boris Tabacoff explored floating and audacious forms in metal and plexiglass, symbols of the technological optimism of the era. From Italy, Gae Aulenti imposed her vision through iconic lighting designs, while Vico Magistretti combined Milanese rationalism with timeless elegance in his creations for Artemide and Cassina. Childan’s collection also embraces the more radical approaches of the late 20th century, with pieces by Philippe Starck and Jean Nouvel, where design became both a functional object and an intellectual manifesto. These signatures, anchored in the international scene, extended the legacy of modernism while opening the way for reflection on the relationship between object, space, and society. Each piece of furniture, lighting, or decorative object we offer is carefully selected, researched, and documented. When restoration is required, it is entrusted to skilled artisans who preserve the authenticity and heritage value of the piece. This approach ensures that every object retains its historical integrity while seamlessly integrating into contemporary living spaces, where it continues to dialogue with architecture and daily life. Childan positions itself as an international reference gallery, dedicated to collectors, decorators, and discerning enthusiasts who seek works that enrich both interiors and heritage. Our mission is to keep design history alive—not as a static memory, but as a living resource that inspires and transforms contemporary spaces. By offering privileged access to rare and authentic pieces, we create a bridge between heritage and modernity, between memory and creation, between past and future.