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Lot Essay
Eleganza, Immaginazione, Sostanza (elegance, imagination and substance) are the three key words Gio Ponti used to described the essence of his furniture design. From the pages of Domus, the influential magazine he founded in 1929, he described his commitment, almost a calling, to design pieces that would synthesise the essence of Italian style. Furniture that is at once pure in its form, innovative in its design, always striving to be the best examples of the high-quality Italian craftsmanship he cherished, developed and promoted throughout his prolific career. Gio Ponti is often referred to as one of the fathers of Italian design, the epitome of an aesthetic and style that continues to appeal to new generations today. The present lot articulates the essence of Gio Ponti’s refined and elegant design.
Possibly a unique piece from a private commission, the present example is a variant of a piece created by Ponti in the late 1950s. In 1958 Gio Ponti was asked to design the most prestigious project of his career in New York: the auditorium for the Time & Life Building, headquarters of Time Inc. Of diamond shape, the auditorium sits on the eighth floor as a separate identity from the masterpiece of architecture created by the architects, Harrison, Abramowitz and Harris.
Ponti designed a series of furniture for the space, amongst which was an impressive meeting table approximately 3.6 meters long. Taking inspiration from this prestigious commission, Gio Ponti created a masterpiece of design emblematic of his celebrated style. The pure shape of the large top, a diamond, is a recurrent feature, a principal motif in Ponti’s work from his architecture, as shown by the sketch of the auditorium, to his textile decoration, to his furniture. The present dining table is one of the most accomplished examples of the essence of Gio Ponti’s furniture design.
Possibly a unique piece from a private commission, the present example is a variant of a piece created by Ponti in the late 1950s. In 1958 Gio Ponti was asked to design the most prestigious project of his career in New York: the auditorium for the Time & Life Building, headquarters of Time Inc. Of diamond shape, the auditorium sits on the eighth floor as a separate identity from the masterpiece of architecture created by the architects, Harrison, Abramowitz and Harris.
Ponti designed a series of furniture for the space, amongst which was an impressive meeting table approximately 3.6 meters long. Taking inspiration from this prestigious commission, Gio Ponti created a masterpiece of design emblematic of his celebrated style. The pure shape of the large top, a diamond, is a recurrent feature, a principal motif in Ponti’s work from his architecture, as shown by the sketch of the auditorium, to his textile decoration, to his furniture. The present dining table is one of the most accomplished examples of the essence of Gio Ponti’s furniture design.