Important 20th Century French and Italian Design to Lead Phillips’ London Auction
Sale on 13 November to Feature Rare Works by Seizô Sugawara, François-Xavier Lalanne, Line Vautrin, and Carlo Scarpa
LONDON – 30 OCTOBER 2024 – Phillips is pleased to announce highlights from the upcoming Design auction in London on 13 November. The sale will celebrate the very best of 20th and 21st century design, featuring works of significant historical provenance, from prominent private collections. Highlights include a remarkable rediscovery: an armchair by Seizô Sugawara, which features in the sale alongside the contemplative ‘Fontaine Pleureuse’ by François-Xavier Lalanne, and exceptional designs by Osvaldo Borsani and Lucio Fontana crafted for Casa Kramer in Milan. Among the standout lots with exceptional provenance are two rare Carlo Scarpa console tables and a pair of rare chairs, alongside Charlotte Perriand’s iconic 'Tunisie' bookcase, designed circa 1952 for the student rooms of La Maison de la Tunisie, Cité Internationale Universitaire, Paris. The full catalogue is available for viewing online, with a public preview opening at Phillips’ Berkeley Square galleries on 6 November.
Domenico Raimondo, Phillips’ Head of Department, Design, Europe and Senior International Specialist, said, “We are delighted to present our Design auction this November, highlighting exceptional works that celebrate the innovation and creativity of 20th century and Contemporary designers. From Sugawara’s pioneering and rare armchair to Scarpa’s revolutionary Modernist Pre-War designs originally intended for the Ca' Foscari, this auction offers a unique opportunity to acquire pieces that capture the distinct visions of their creators and represent pivotal moments in design history. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our preview opening on 6 November, where they can experience these remarkable works in person.”
Leading the sale is a rare armchair by Seizô Sugawara, designed around 1915. This piece reflects the heightened interest in Eastern decorative arts among the Parisian elite at the time, following the 1900 Exposition Universelle. Designed at the tail end of this Belle Époque period, the armchair reflects Far Eastern aesthetics through its sculptural backrest and striking lacquer finish with silver and gold leaf, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship. The century-old lacquer was applied using ancient Japanese techniques unfamiliar to French artisans of the time. Sugawara, who trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Tokyo, relocated to Paris in 1905 to teach these lacquer techniques.
Another highlight of the sale is François-Xavier Lalanne’s 'Fontaine Pleureuse,' a poignant meditation on the complexities of human emotion. Inspired by his wife Claude's design, this piece transforms her sculpture of a sleeping woman into a melancholic figure. True to the spirit and innovation of Les Lalanne, the work incorporates natural elements with the addition of ivy as hair and cascading water which represents tears. Further French design highlights include Charlotte Perriand’s sought-after 'Tunisie' bookcase, a rare three-panel screen by Katsu Hamanaka, and an exceptional 'Monaco' mirror by Line Vautrin.
The present coffee table and wall-mounted console, dating from circa 1950, are rare examples of the remarkable Post-War collaboration between two icons of Italian 20th century art and design: Osvaldo Borsani and Lucio Fontana. Originally crafted for the little-documented Casa Kramer in Milan, home of musician Gorni Kramer, these pieces showcase Borsani's furniture designs enhanced by Fontana's distinctive, Baroque-inspired aesthetic, tailored for Milan’s bourgeois clientele of the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Between 1935 and 1937, Carlo Scarpa renovated the Ca' Foscari, a historic 15th century palace in Venice, transforming it into the Ca' Foscari University. This pre-World War II project preserved the building's character while modernising its spaces. Scarpa also designed furnishings for the Ca' Foscari University, which included the present models of two rare console tables with a striking crossed stretcher motif and a pair of rare chairs, bearing an exceptional provenance from a private Venetian collection. Further Italian highlights include a coffee table designed by Gio Ponti, a Carlo Scarpa mirror, and a rare set of five vases by Ettore Sottsass, Jr.
Of the Contemporary designs featured in the sale, highlights include pieces by Ron Arad, known for his bold, sculptural forms; Shiro Kuramata, whose avant-garde designs push the boundaries of materials and space; and Gaetano Pesce, celebrated for his experimental use of colour and resin. Also featured are works by the Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, whose designs blend craftsmanship and recycled materials, redefining the concept of sustainable design.
Auction: 13 November 2024 Auction viewing: 6 - 12 November 2024 Location: 30 Berkeley Square, London, United Kingdom, W1J 6EX Click here for more information: https://www.phillips.com/auctions/auction/UK050224
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