Born of the collaboration between André Domin and Marcel Genevriere, Dominique was among the major creators of Art Deco furniture pieces. Though André Domin was good friends with Paul Iribe, neither André Domin nor Marcel Genevriere seemed likely candidates to become artists. André was self-educated, with no real art background, while Marcel Genevriere worked for years as a journalist, in publications such as “Comœdia,” “Gil Blas,” “l’Intransigeant” and “Paris Magazine.”
Despite its unlikely beginnings, Dominique quickly established itself in its early projects, which included creating furniture for the silver designer Jean Puiforcat, and also for perfumer Houbigant. These projects built Dominique’s reputation and skill, allowing them to form the “Groupe de Cinq” with Pierre Chareau, Pierre Legrain, Raymond Templier and Jean Puiforcat in 1926.
Throughout its history, Dominique participated in many exhibitions, most notably the 1925 Paris Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes and the 1931 Exposition Colonial in Paris. Born of the collaboration between André Domin and Marcel Genevriere, Dominique was one a major creator of Art Deco furniture pieces. Though André Domin was good friends with Paul Iribe, neither André Domin nor Marcel Genevriere seemed likely candidates to become artists. André was self-educated with no real art background, while Marcel Genevriere worked for years as a journalist, in publications such as “Comœdia,” “Gil Blas,” “l’Intransigeant” and “Paris Magazine.”
Despite its unlikely beginnings, Dominique quickly established itself in its early projects, which included creating furniture for the silver designer Jean Puiforcat and perfumer Houbigant. These projects built Dominique’s reputation and skill, allowing them to form the “Groupe de Cinq” with Pierre Chareau, Pierre Legrain, Raymond Templier and Jean Puiforcat in 1926.
Throughout its history, Dominique participated in many exhibitions including theall important 1925 Paris Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, and the 1931 Exposition Colonial in Paris, as well as the1935 Salon des Artistes Décorateurs in Brussels,
Dominique’s pieces are, in many ways, influenced by Cubism, which is evident in the highly geometric forms that they favored. Dominique's pieces show simplicity and dignity, but despite their sometimes imposing exterior, the pieces are comfortable and created with an awareness of and concern for their intended function.
Like many of their contemporarie,s André Domin and Marcel Genevriere did not execute their creation of their furniture pieces or lighting fixtures. They were responsible solely for the design, and entrusted their scale drawings to highly skilled craftsmen, who created the pieces to their exacting requirements.
In 1929, Dominique’s store front and workshop was moved from its original location to 29 avenue Kléber. At around this time, Dominique’s furniture begin to include metal in the pieces. The metal was not only for aesthetic effect, but also served important utilitarian functions; creating decorated bases and reinforcing the edges of corners.
From 1933, the Maison Dominique worked for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, most notably on the famed luxury ocean liner, theNormandy. The four major luxury design firms of the time- Leleu, Sue et Mare, Mantagnac and Dominique- were invited to create suites for the ship. Dominique’s contribution was the Rouen suite, likely named after the birthplace of Marcel Genevriere.
Throughout the 1930’s, the Mobilier National commissioned many projects from Dominique, including the Landscape Exhibition at the Elysée Palace. Many important pieces by Dominique remain in the Mobilier National.
By the end of the 1930’s, Dominique’s style become more ornamental, which while being very pleasing, lost some of the originality of the earlier pieces. Dominique continued until the 1970’s, run under the direction of Alain Domin, the son of André Domin.
