EM Table
Jean Prouvé's 1950 EM Table: canted steel legs and a crossbar, five lengths, three top materials
2000 × 740 × 900 mm
Source: product page text — EM Table 2000 x 900
1950
USD 8,360, EM Table H 740 x W 900 x L 2000 mm, solid wood top, deep black base, first Recommendations preset, Vitra US online shop, 2026-10-15
Description
Overview
The EM Table is credited to Jean Prouvé, 1950. EM stands for Entretoise Métallique, metal struts; the table was developed around 1950 for the project Maison Tropicale.
Construction
- Top in solid wood (oak or walnut), oak veneer or HPL laminate
- Canted legs joined by a crossbar, of bent sheet steel and tubular steel
- Five lengths from 1800 to 2600 mm, all 900 mm wide and 740 mm high
Specifications
- Size 2000: 2000 mm long, 900 mm wide, 740 mm high
Story
Maison Tropicale
Vitra's fact sheet says Prouvé developed the EM Table around 1950 for the project Maison Tropicale; EM stands for Entretoise Métallique, metal struts.
The aesthetics of necessity
According to the fact sheet, even the smallest details of the table are determined by its construction: the canted legs are connected by a crossbar that illustrates the structural forces and the flow of stresses.
More by Jean Prouvé
Chaise Tout Bois
Jean Prouvé's wartime Chaise Tout Bois of 1941, made entirely of oak without a single screw
Cité
Prouvé's 1930 Cité armchair for Nancy's student halls, with steel runners and leather belt armrests
Compas Direction
Jean Prouvé's 1953 Compas Direction: a compact desk with splayed steel legs and a solid wood top
Fauteuil Direction
Jean Prouvé's 1951 Fauteuil Direction: an upholstered armchair with wooden armrests on a steel frame