Eames House Whale

A prominent feature of the Eames House by Charles and Ray Eames was a wooden whale measuring over two metres in length. Its smaller reproduction, the hand-painted Eames House Whale by Vitra, is crafted from ash wood.

Ray and Charles Eames were both trained in the arts, with Ray having studied painting under Hans Hoffman and Charles studying architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. Their joint collaborations began at Cranbook Academy of Art, soon leading to experimental work in molded plywood products. After they married in 1941, they moved to Los Angeles and worked closely with Evans Products Company to produce a leg splint design for the war effort. Their new funding allowed them to explore furniture design, resulting in their molded plywood furniture for Herman Miller in the mid 1940s. Countless innovations followed including modular shelving, fiberglass furniture, and cast aluminum chairs, all of which are icons today. Their genius extended to film (such as Powers of Ten), graphic design, and exhibition design as well, often working with IBM.