Our History
The generations-old family business that became Iconoplast began in Italy in the early 1900s. Dominique Furieri, a sculptor first who became a master craftsman, was reputed for his artisanship on a major project in Cannes; the decorative work at the Hotel Carlton stood proudly as evidence of his skill. He was the force behind the origin of a fourth-generation legacy, then named Enterprise Furieri.
Dominique’s son, Jean-Dominique, expanded the business when it moved to France. Like his father, his reputation grew to precede him; his architectural craftsmanship held in high regard through the international community at large. He was commissioned for illustrious projects including the Hotel Byblos, St. Tropez; the Begum Aga Khan, Cannes; the Casino Rhul, Nice Franco, Maria Ricci, Art Librarian in Milano, Italy.
Now the family legacy is upheld by the third generation, Jean-Francois, who received his “master†designation – a term he says comes from a long tradition of European apprenticeship – after his work on the then-Pantages Theatre in Toronto. Unlike his father, grandfather and uncle, he was a master plasterer first and learned the trade of sculpting later. His migration to North America came after he met and fell in love with a Canadian woman, following her back after their wedding. Here, he established a branch of the family business in 1986 and named it Iconoplast, working alongside a team of architects, designers, painters, faux finish artisans, plasterers and structural engineers. His daughter Magali, also at his side, will be the fourth generation to carry the business forward.
Today, Mr. Furieri’s skills are in demand all over North America; many have said he is the best craftsman they have ever worked with. His forte is to execute the vision of artists and architects; “they give me their pollen, I make them honey,†he says proudly. His studios are filled with moulds, patterns, archival material and books from Cannes; he can create a Corinthian Capital from scratch using any design. An artisan of the highest caliber, he is the epitome of resourcefulness.