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AT Europe: Paris - Arthur Rimbaud as Design Inspiration

rimbaud2.jpgIt seems the latest unlikely design star in Paris is 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud, whose face has been showing up on rugs and chairs around town.

The well-known portrait of Rimbaud at age 17 is the inspiration for this Jean-Charles de Castelbajac-designed Rimbaud rug for Toulemonde Bochart. Walking down a Paris street at an ungodly hour recently, there was Rimbaud's youthful mug again, haunting the back of a chair, and keeping company with other esteemed literary figures.

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And the Arthur Rimbaud rug from Chateaushop, seems to be an example of his prolific correspondence, blown up into a rug.

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Is this the height of pretension or a French attempt to inject some poetry into the soul of modern design?

- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. She can be reached at kristinh @ apartmenttherapy . com

Comments (5)

kinda looks like Ben Affleck...heee heee heee

posted by SydneyBristow on 2008-05-15 12:45:39
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How much is the 1st rug?

posted by kollros on 2008-05-15 17:31:21
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I'm sorry, that looks exactly like Ben Affleck.

posted by spiralcma on 2008-05-15 17:50:39
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I totally agree with you!

posted by mybloodisink on 2008-05-16 03:40:46
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actually, much more inspiring than Che Guevara as a design icon....

posted by Sofia on 2008-05-16 06:55:42
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