References
Gray was born on the 9th August 1878, just outside Enniscorthy, County Wexford. Her father was the artist James McLaren Smith while her mother was Eveleen Pounden, granddaughter of the 10th Earl of Moray, who became Baroness Gray in 1895. Having previously separated from her husband she decided to change her five children’s surname to Gray including Eileen’s. Eileen’s childhood was split between Ireland and London where she later attended the Slade School of Art. Following stints studying in Paris where she also learned lacquer work she briefly returned to London.
After turning her talents to furniture design and architecture she was to remain in France for the rest of her life though she lived in relative seclusion following the Second World War yet continued to work on her art well into her 90’s. She is best remembered as a furniture designer, architect and pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Her E-1027 house with its purpose built furniture was seen as iconic and considered to be the “precursor for Ikea”.
Her work influenced the modern movement in architecture and her designs are still being produced by Zeev ARAM who hold the license for Eileen Gray’s designs.
Gray died in 1976, at the age of 98, in Paris. Her ashes were interred at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in eastern Paris.
Eileen Gray is just one of over 320 characters featured at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 9th Aug 1878 | |
| Date of Death | 31st Oct 1976 | |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | James McLaren Smith | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Eveleen Pounden | |
| Occupation | Architect, Furniture Designer | |
