Image source: Vitra — EM Table
© Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
EM Table
Jean Prouvé's 1950 EM Table: canted steel legs and a crossbar, five lengths, three top materials
2000 × 740 × 900 mm
1950
Approx. $8,400 (reference price; varies by region and retailer)
Official product information
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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.
Image source: Vitra — EM Table · © Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy
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
Guéridon
Jean Prouvé's round wooden Guéridon of 1949, made for the University of Paris, in two sizes
Tabouret Haut
Jean Prouvé's 1942 bar stool in solid oak, with a chromed steel ring that serves as footrest
Cité
Prouvé's 1930 Cité armchair for Nancy's student halls, with steel runners and leather belt armrests
Trapèze
Jean Prouvé's Trapèze table of 1950/1954, from Antony: trapezoidal steel legs and a black top
Collection
Jean Prouvé Collection
Vitra's Jean Prouvé Collection: furniture produced with the Prouvé family since 2000, from the Standard chair to the Compas Direction desk, in original colours.
