Terence Harold Robsjohn-gibbins Biography
Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings was a British furniture designer and architect, born in London in 1905. After completing his architectural studies at the University of London, he pursued a career in naval architecture as a decorator, before later working for an antiques dealer specializing in Elizabethan furniture.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Robsjohn-Gibbings became one of the most renowned decorators in the United States. His design style was influenced by classical elements of Ancient Greek design and Art Deco design. From the early years of his career, Robsjohn-Gibbings developed a strong interest in ancient Greece, deepened through his visits to the collections of the British Museum. His passion for Greece and classical architecture led him to move to the country of the same name in 1966, where he worked on the decoration of the apartments of Athenian high society.
The working of walnut and beech was one of his specialisations, occasionally using copper or leather inlays. His elegant furniture has become a precursor of contemporary 21st century design. The simple classical forms of his furniture were derived from classical architecture, but were largely free of surface decoration.
The designer received numerous awards in his career, including the Waters Award in 1950 and the Elsie de Wolfe Award in February 1962, shared with fellow designer Edward J. Wormley. An antiques collector, Robsjohn-Gibbings decorated his apartment on East 72nd Street in New York and later his home in Athens with his classical Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese and pre-Columbian works of art.
Alongside the development of his business, Robsjohn-Gibbings also produced articles and books, such as his Furniture of Classical Greece published in 1963, which represent an important milestone in the development of functional and classical design, as opposed to the modernist designs of Le Corbusier.
