Roger Capron is best known for his geometrically complex, vibrantly colored tile-topped coffee tables. These mid-century furnishings, with their comely palettes and playful arrangements of abstract forms or natural-world motifs, are approachable yet sophisticated. They draw on Scandinavian modernism and exemplify the Parisian ceramist’s belief in ensuring that things of beauty are easily and widely accessible, a principle espoused by French decorative artist and designer René Gabriel.
Capron graduated in 1943 from the School of Applied Arts in Paris. In a small atelier he later founded with Robert Picault and Jean Derval in Vallauris, Capron made alluring sculptures, table lamps and other objects and found inspiration in the work of Pablo Picasso, who had also opened an atelier in the region. He parted ways with his fellow ceramists in 1952 in order to open his own manufactory, Atelier Capron.
Initially staffed by a handful of workers, Atelier Capron captured international attention. His pieces were sold in stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Gimbels. Later, Capron’s wife, Jacotte, studied art and became a valued collaborator. Owing in part to her expertise in mixing pigments and glazes, Capron’s best-known ceramics feature dazzling colors and whimsical characters. Like Picasso, he experimented with many artistic styles and never settled on one technique for too long. His coffee tables, side tables and decorative objects are among the most enduring and coveted designs of the mid-century modern era.
While Capron’s factory had grown tenfold by 1980, it shut down a few years later after a slew of competitors began mass-producing cheaper imitations.
Capron won an award at the Milan Triennial in 1954 and International Grand Prize for Ceramics in 1970. His works have been displayed in the Musée National de la Céramique and the Musée Magnelli.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Roger Capron ceramics, tables and other decorative objects and furniture.
Ceramic Low Table, Roger Capron, France c. 1960
By Roger Capron
Located in St Ouen, FR
Low table made up of ceramic tiles top with alternating matt ceramic stoneware tiles and gold-glazed tiles with stylized sun patterns. Both structure and feet in black lacquered ste...
Ceramic
$4,603
H 15.36 in W 23.94 in D 23.94 in
Ceramic Low Table with Roger Capron's Tiles, France circa 1950
By Roger Capron
Located in St Ouen, FR
Garden table in terracotta ceramic tiles whose center is decorated with country motifs combining fruits, flowers and birds in an orientalist spirit. The enamelling in relief brings a...
Ceramic
$10,041
H 12.6 in W 21.26 in D 46.46 in
Coffee/cocktail table, stoneware tiles tabletop, Roger Capron, Vallauris 1970.
By Roger Capron
Located in Paris, Ile-de-France
Unusual coffee table with a thick tabletop made of 36 square sandstone tiles ( 22 tiles embossed with geometric patterns and 14 smooth tiles in the center ); the apron made of 26 re...
Stoneware, Beech
$7,400
H 11.25 in W 43.25 in D 18.25 in
French Ceramic Tile Coffee Table with Bird Motif by Roger Capron, 1960s
By Roger Capron
Located in Chicago, IL
A French ceramic tile coffee table by Roger Capron, crafted in Vallauris in the 1960s. The rectangular top is composed of earthenware tiles, each individually set to form a rhythmic ...
Metal
$9,066
H 11.82 in W 16.54 in D 45.67 in
Roger Capron Coffee Table, Glazed Ceramic, Mid Century Design, France 1950
By Roger Capron
Located in London, England
The Roger Capron coffee table in enameled ceramic is much more than just a piece of furniture; it is a work of art that perfectly illustrates the talent of the master ceramist. Made ...
Metal
$12,000
H 15.55 in W 47.24 in D 15.16 in
Coffee Table with Ceramic Tiles by Roger Capron (1922-2006), France, 1960s
Located in New York, NY
Coffee table made of a black lacquered iron frame and a rectangular tabletop of ceramic tiles. These tiles feature a geometric pattern in black, white, and red. The tabletop is signed "R. Capron...
Iron
$4,607
H 15.36 in W 23.94 in D 23.94 in
Ceramic Low Table with Roger Capron's Tiles, France circa 1950
By Roger Capron
Located in St Ouen, FR
Garden table in terracotta ceramic tiles whose center is decorated with country motifs combining fruits, flowers and birds in an orientalist spirit. The enamelling in relief brings a...
Ceramic
French Garrigue Ceramic Tile Coffee Table by Roger Capron, 1960s
By Roger Capron
Located in Chicago, IL
A French Garrigue coffee table by Roger Capron, crafted in the 1960s and combining ceramic and wood in one of the artist’s most iconic series. The tabletop is composed of Capron’s ce...
Ceramic, Mahogany
Tiled Coffee Table, Glazed Ceramic Tile Top, Metal Base, France, 1960s
Located in New York, NY
An elegant rectangular coffee table with a pared down dark metal frame and a tiled top arranged in a Mondrianesque pattern of black, red, and white rhombuses.
Ceramic
$1,676
H 11.82 in W 36.42 in D 17.13 in
Roger Capron 1970 Coffee Table with Ceramic Top, French Design
By Roger Capron
Located in London, England
Discover the Roger Capron coffee table, a true masterpiece of French design of the 1970s, which evokes Picasso's contemporary spirit. Coming from the beautiful Côte d'Azur, this icon...
Metal
