Charles and Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter

Several other bloggers have mentioned the PBS airing of Charles and Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter on December 19, 2011, and have told their readers that the full documentary film is available online. If you still haven't seen it, I thought I'd remind you again, because it's definitely worth viewing. Part of the American Masters series, the film explores the couple's artistic collaboration and their contribution to modern design and the computer age. It also takes an honest look at their love affair and their sometimes troubled marriage.

In interviews with former designers in the Eames Office, the film also explores the workings of the office, as well as the complex relationships within the team, including the mixed feelings of the other designers when Charles Eames received all the credit for their collaborative work. Also examined is the marginalization felt by Ray when she was publicly relegated to the status of "the woman behind the great man" instead of being treated as his equal.

This film gives a comprehensive look at the famous couple and the environment they created, both in their office and in their own home. It is a must-see for anyone who wants a view of Charles and Ray Eames as real flesh-and-blood people, not the idealized, sanitized, walk-on-water version we often get.

Ray and Charles Eames
nybooks.com

In news closer to home, we have obtained an Eames Sofa-Compact (sometimes simply called the Compact Sofa) in a trade with another dealer. It's similar to the one below, and you'll be seeing photos of the actual piece once we get moved into the new location. The design evolved from a built-in sofa in the Pacific Palisades home that Charles and Ray Eames designed for themselves in the 1940s. The freestanding version available now was first produced in 1954.

treadwaygallery.com