Anatomies Library

Designed by French designer Pierre-Yves Guénec, the Anatomy Library draws inspiration from the skeletal form of the human body. Guénec’s practice welds together centuries-old traditions and hypermodern aesthetics, bound together by spirituality and technology. Placing the utmost importance on the practice of fine craftsmanship, Guénec collaborated with Nikolas Kaparos to cast the works in bronze at the Greek artisan’s foundry in Athens. Resembling the straight lines and curves of a spine, the meticulous craftsmanship and biomorphic forms highlight how skeletal frameworks drive not only the design process and concept but also the production of the piece itself.

Pierre-Yves Guenec

New York-based, French metalsmith-designer Pierre Yves Guenec (b. 1990) builds a body of work rooted in his passion for craftsmanships, and his advocacy for the preservation of centuries-old artisanal traditions through contemporary design. Formally trained in blacksmithing, Guenec began his career as an apprentice in some of the most prestigious ateliers of France. His design vocabulary is deeply informed by his understanding of the materials and the craftsmanship techniques.

After receiving an academic education at the Ateliers de Sevres and the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, the artist chose to take the road and develop his technical skills through a more hands-on experience, working as an apprentice with master-artisans and furniture makers around Europe.

In 2016, he joined the esteemed Ateliers Saint Jacques, a non-profit cooperative of master craftsmen and workshops located outside of Paris. There, the artist-artisan was able to master his metalsmithing skills working alongside the revered art founders of Fonderie de Coubertin for over six years, collaborating with international talents such as Mathieu Lehanneur, Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance, Konstantin Grcic, as well as architects including Peter Marino, Joseph Dirand, or Jean Nouvel.

In 2022, Pierre Yves Guenec established his creative studio between Paris and New York. With a multidisciplinary approach, the studio explores environments from a spiritual perspective, transfiguring materials to reveal their inherent beauty. From furniture design to interior architecture, Guenec applies a thoughtful methodology to examine uses and archetypes, emphasizing the permanence of objects, the impact of spaces, and the potency of symbols. Prioritizing the importance of fine craftsmanship, Guenec collaborates directly with master craftsmen. In natural alignment with the curatorial vision of Ateliers Courbet, Guenec's work bears the co-signature of both the artist and the craftsmen.

Cast Bronze with Hand-Rubbed Dark Brown Patina

H 55 x W 62 1/4 x D 13 3/4 in; H 139.7 x W 158 x D 35 cm