VADIM ANDROUSOV (1895-1975)

Vadim Androusov, trained as a sculptor, was born in St. Petersburg in 1895 and moved to Paris in the early 1920s. In Paris he met the furniture designer André Arbus at the Gallery L'Epoque, where they were both exhibiting works. This initial meeting launched a collaboration lasting more than twenty years. Arbus, who was fascinated by sculpture, proposed that Androusov create decorative details for his furniture designs, such as a mask in a front door of a commode or a bust placed on a piece of furniture. This new style, combining furniture and sculptural decorative detail, made Arbus one of the great decorators of the forties. Androusov's contribution was instrumental in the execution and success of this new style of furniture design.