Despite very different personal styles, the big names in Scandinavian design all worked under the influence of the same mindset, placing form and function on an equal footing.
The range of materials, shapes and objects found in their work is drawn primarily from the landscape, celebrating the beauty and inexhaustible resources of the natural environment. The unique concept of organic modernism, first instilled by Finnish designer Alvar Aalto, attempted, often successfully, to give a human dimension to design and architecture. Aalto once declared: “The form must be the bearer of content, and this content must maintain a link to nature."
The Scandinavian design sales are highly anticipated events for collectors and the French auction house PIASA, which is organising a dedicated sale on the theme on 4 March, has concocted a high quality catalogue. With a total of 274 lots reflecting Nordic production from the end of the 19th century to the present day, the auction will honour Swedish, Danish, Finnish and Norwegian creators who continue to influence, through their works and their vision, the current modernity.
The sale reflects the massive use of wood (present in abundance in nature) in the design of Scandinavian furniture, but also of metal, which designers have applied more to the world of lighting. More than a discipline, Scandinavian design is a state of mind: it blends harmoniously into everyday life, it reflects the undying beauty of the environment and it defies the tests of time.
The catalogue opens with several fascinating discoveries going back to the beginnings of design: seats that initiated the use of raw wood and organic shapes. Astonishing pieces by Matti Savijärvi and Matti Martikka are to be offered, before giving way to 20th century designers.
The highlight of the sale is none other than a pair of so-called ‘Sharks’ armchairs, designed by Finn Juhl in the 1940s and given as a wedding gift to his best friend in 1943. These unique armchairs date from the beginning of Juhl's career and bear witness to his first experiments in form, when drew his inspiration from abstract sculptors with surrealist tendencies, such as Jean Arp, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.
Like the ‘Elephant’ sofa, kept in a private collection and rediscovered at a sale in Denmark last December, the ‘Sharks’ armchairs have remained in the same family since the 1940s and are appearing at market for the first time since their recent rediscovery.
Danish designer and architect Hans J. Wegner, creator of the most famous chairs in the world, stands out in the sale with a varied selection of furniture. An essential designer of the Scandinavian scene, he created more than 450 pieces of furniture, each more innovative than the next, but was always respectful of an ethical charter combining modernity, lightness and simplicity.
He was also known for his principle that even what cannot be seen in a piece of furniture should be the result of careful work. An oak and rattan sideboard, a set of eight No. JH503 seats named ‘The Chair’ (a model made outrageously famous for its appearance during the televised presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1959), and a dining table in teak are on offer.
On the lighting side, we find Poul Henningsen with eight models (ceiling and table lamps) from the ‘PH’ family. Created in the 1920s, this famous series is based on a set of reflective lampshades, creating harmonious and non-glare lighting. His contemporary Paavo Tynell, whose plastic vocabulary swept over Finland with such force that his fame has been heard internationally, is also represented with a fine body of twenty works, ranging from floor lamp n ° 9619 to ceiling lamps n ° A1965, through to table lamps n ° 9224 (called ‘Horseshoe’).
Finally, ceramic collectors will appreciate the works of Danish artist Axel Salto, known for his sculptural sandstone creations that reproduce the diversity of textures of plants and algae, in a continual metamorphosis. A superb vase from 1935, a period when his works were already produced by the Royal Copenhagen manufacturer, are the highlight of the selection.
Almost a century after their creation, the most iconic Scandinavian furniture still defies the stylistic standards of design and, combining the modern with the traditional, remains more current than ever.
The sale will take place on 4 March 2021 at PIASA. For all the information relating to the health measures in force, we invite you to consult the auction house's website. Be sure not to miss the virtual tour of the exhibition spaces, available here.