Tray c. 1928

This metal and wood tray, attributed to Robert Mallet-Stevens, makes me think about architecture, and the way the artist used form, material, and function to make something lovely. I can imagine the artist thinking about how to create something utilitarian that also embodies an aesthetic ideal. The interplay between the cool, reflective silver and the warm, organic wood is so interesting. And the geometric forms – those crisp, rectangular shapes combined with the smooth curves of the wood – give it a sense of balance. It almost looks like a little art deco building. I wonder if Mallet-Stevens was inspired by other designers or architects of his time, maybe people like Le Corbusier or Eileen Gray. Artists are always in dialogue with each other, building on each other's ideas. And even something as simple as a tray can be an expression of that conversation.