Eileen Gray

An enigmatic, adventurous and elusive figure, Eileen Gray (1878–1976) left an indelible mark on the history of modern decorative art. From the Irish countryside to London and then Paris, she made her mark as a painter, designer and architect, but also as a gallery owner – the latter role undertaken under the convenient pseudonym of Jean Désert. With her lacquered screens and steel-tube furniture, she transcended the boundaries of the arts and created works rich in poetry, proudly asserting her desire to return to placing human beings and their emotions at the centre of plastic and spatial exploration. Villa E-1027, which she built in 1926 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin for Jean Badovici, is considered one of the finest examples of 20th-century architecture.