Paul Lester Wiener - Design New York Tuesday, December 17, 2019 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Private collection, Forlì

  • Literature

    Gio Ponti, "Cronache Americane," Domus, no. 95, November 1935, p. 11

  • Catalogue Essay

    In 1934, Paul Lester Wiener designed the present model armchair for Dr. Fritz Wittels’ living room in New York City. Dr. Wittels, an early proponent of psychoanalysis and the first biographer of Sigmund Freud, commissioned Wiener to design a modern apartment that would also serve as a reception and treatment area for his patients. As such, Wiener’s designs were made with their psychological value and effect in mind. The apartment was primarily white with blue and red accents, and much of the furniture relied on geometric and architectonic forms. The present model chair, which was originally lacquered red, fit perfectly within this design scheme. In the November 1935 issue of Domus, Gio Ponti praised Wiener’s modern design and described him as a model for the avant-garde in the United States. Later in his career, Paul Lester Wiener achieved eminence for his collaboration with Le Corbusier on urban planning projects in South America and for redeveloping the Washington Square Park area of New York City in 1958.

155

Rare armchair, designed for the apartment of Dr. Fritz Wittels, New York

circa 1934
Walnut-veneered wood, fabric upholstery.
33 x 29 5/8 x 43 in. (83.8 x 75.2 x 109.2 cm)

Estimate
$7,000 - 9,000 

Contact Specialist

DesignNewYork@phillips.com
+1 212 940 1265

Design

New York Auction 17 December 2019