323
Gio Ponti
Coffee table
- Estimate
- HK$120,000 - 180,000€14,200 - 21,300$15,400 - 23,100
HK$152,400
Lot Details
walnut, glass, brass
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
The present coffee table is a remarkable piece that epitomises the ingenuity and elegance of Ponti’s post-war designs. This sophisticated work truly showcases his mastery of form, material, and geometric patterns. Crafted with a glass top and a walnut base, it reveals Ponti's ability to blend contrasting materials with finesse. The transparency of the glass top allows for a view of the exquisite interlocking pattern of the legs. This geometry, including both positive and negative space, is an iconic characteristic feature of Ponti's design language that adds a layer of visual interest and complexity to the piece.
The execution of this coffee table was entrusted to Giordano Chiesa, Gio Ponti's preferred cabinetmaker, who was known for his exceptional craftsmanship and ability to bring Ponti's designs to life. Chiesa's collaboration with Ponti resulted in the creation of some of their most refined works. The meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident in the seamless integration of the constituent parts, showcasing Ponti’s vision alongside Chiesa’s skill.
The 1950s in Italy were marked by a fervent desire for reconstruction and revitalisation. Designers like Gio Ponti played a pivotal role in shaping the post-war Italian design movement, which aimed to combine tradition with innovation. Ponti's designs, including this coffee table, encompass the spirit of this era by embracing modern materials, innovative forms, and a sense of optimism. This coffee table stands as a testament to the originality and creativity of the time, embodying the ideals of modernity, artistry, and the pursuit of beauty in everyday objects.
The execution of this coffee table was entrusted to Giordano Chiesa, Gio Ponti's preferred cabinetmaker, who was known for his exceptional craftsmanship and ability to bring Ponti's designs to life. Chiesa's collaboration with Ponti resulted in the creation of some of their most refined works. The meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident in the seamless integration of the constituent parts, showcasing Ponti’s vision alongside Chiesa’s skill.
The 1950s in Italy were marked by a fervent desire for reconstruction and revitalisation. Designers like Gio Ponti played a pivotal role in shaping the post-war Italian design movement, which aimed to combine tradition with innovation. Ponti's designs, including this coffee table, encompass the spirit of this era by embracing modern materials, innovative forms, and a sense of optimism. This coffee table stands as a testament to the originality and creativity of the time, embodying the ideals of modernity, artistry, and the pursuit of beauty in everyday objects.
Provenance
Literature
Gio Ponti
Italian | B. 1891 D. 1979Among the most prolific talents to grace twentieth-century design, Gio Ponti defied categorization. Though trained as an architect, he made major contributions to the decorative arts, designing in such disparate materials as ceramics, glass, wood and metal. A gale force of interdisciplinary creativity, Ponti embraced new materials like plastic and aluminum but employed traditional materials such as marble and wood in original, unconventional ways.In the industrial realm, he designed buildings, cars, machinery and appliances — notably, the La Cornuta espresso machine for La Pavoni — and founded the ADI (Industrial Designer Association). Among the most special works by Gio Ponti are those that he made in collaboration with master craftsmen such as the cabinetmaker Giordano Chiesa, the illustrator Piero Fornasetti and the enamellist Paolo de Poli.
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