Charles Eames, designer

The multi-talented Charles Eames and his wife, Ray, created some of the most innovative furniture of the modem era. They were pioneers in the use of molded plywood, which they used after World War II to create a wide range of products, from leg splints to lounge chairs. This six­panel folding screen, called the "FSW" (folding screen wood), has become a classic object of post-war industrial design. It combines the warmth of wood with the undulating curves of abstract sculpture. Deceptively simple, it relies on a canvas hinge for flexibility, which allows it to fold upon itself for compact storage. When open, it serves as a portable room divider.

This screen formed part of the original furnishings of a house designed by Providence architect Ira Rakatansky for his sister and brother-in-law. A student of Walter Gropius at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, Rakatanksy prescribed the most up-to-date furniture and lighting fixtures, thus fulfilling the Bauhaus ideal of inexpensive, well-designed houses and interiors for all.