Sofa by Jorge Zalszupin
View Similar Items
Sofa by Jorge Zalszupin
About the Item
- Creator:Jorge Zalszupin (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25.25 in (64.14 cm)Width: 79 in (200.66 cm)Depth: 35 in (88.9 cm)Seat Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: CO5311stDibs: LU8771771435
Jorge Zalszupin
Just as emigrant Europeans — from Kem Weber and Paul Frankl to Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — helped establish modernist design and architecture in the United States, so too did many of their peers foster the new design aesthetic in Brazil in the middle decades of the 20th century. Along with architect Lina Bo Bardi (from Italy) and Joaquim Tenreiro (from Portugal) — both of whom helped popularize Brazilian modern design and influenced today's generation of Brazilian designers — there was Jorge Zalszupin, who arrived from Poland in 1949 and created consistently sleek and elegant chairs, tables and case pieces using the South American country’s vibrantly grained tropical hardwoods.
Zalszupin was born in Warsaw (his given first name is Jerzy) and went on to study architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Bucharest, Romania, graduating in 1945. Zalszupin moved to Paris but found few opportunities in the postwar City of Light. He was impressed by articles on the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer that he saw in the André Bloc–edited magazine L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui (Architecture Today). And after sailing to South America, Zalszupin went to work with his fellow Pole and architect Luciano Korngold in São Paulo. Zalszupin began designing furniture as part of his architectural commissions and created several pieces for Niemeyer for use in the new capital city, Brasília. He opened his own design and manufacturing firm, L’Atelier, in 1959.
While Zalszupin cannot be said to have had a signature style, his furniture designs all share a characteristic simplicity and purity of line and form. His work is often compared to that of Danish designers, most especially in their shared commitment to quality construction. He was a master of many materials: travertine marble for tabletops, slung leather for seating, man-made fabrics for upholstery and — his forte — highly figured woods such as jacaranda and rosewood. The latter plays prominently in two of Zalszupin’s best-known lounge chairs: the Brasiliana, with its austere, angular wood frame, and the Presidencial, with its curved seating shell and slatted backrest. Both chairs feature deep cushions and generous proportions in deference to the Brazilian proclivity for long and languid conversations. Yet both pieces — like all Zalszupin designs — possess a striking, tailored grace that would be perfect in any environment.
Find vintage Jorge Zalszupin furniture on 1stDibs.
- Two-Seat Sofa by Oscar NiemeyerBy Oscar NiemeyerLocated in New York, NYTwo-seat sofa in rosewood veneer with upholstered cushions. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer for the SESC hotel, Brazil, 1990.Category
Late 20th Century Brazilian Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
Price Upon Request - Three-seat sofa by Oscar NiemeyerBy Oscar NiemeyerLocated in New York, NYThree-seat sofa in rosewood veneer with upholstered cushions. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer for the SESC hotel, Brazil, 1990.Category
1990s Brazilian Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Rosewood
Price Upon Request - "Baguette" sofa in sheepskin by Rogan GregoryBy Rogan GregoryLocated in New York, NY"Baguette" sofa with taupe sheepskin upholstery and two accompanying bolsters. Designed and made by Rogan Gregory, USA, 2020. 122" L x 50" W x 33" HCategory
2010s American Sofas
MaterialsSheepskin
Price Upon Request - Sofa by Greta Magnusson Grossman, USA, circa 1952By Greta Magnusson GrossmanLocated in New York, NYThree-seat sofa in white upholstery with tapered brass legs. Designed by Greta Magnusson Grossman for Martin Brattrud as a part of the "Wilshire Group," Los Angeles, CA, circa 1952.Category
Vintage 1950s American Sofas
MaterialsBrass
Price Upon Request - "Sofá Güell" in Laminated Jotoba Wood by Julia Krantz, 2008By Julia KrantzLocated in New York, NYUnique "Sofá Güell" in stack-laminated jatoba wood. Designed and made by Julia Krantz, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2008.Category
Early 2000s Brazilian Modern Benches
MaterialsWood
Price Upon Request - Two-Seat Sofa with Rosewood Frame Designed by Joaquim TenreiroBy Joaquim TenreiroLocated in New York, NYTwo-seat sofa with rosewood frame and upholstered cushions. Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, circa 1960s.Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Sofas
MaterialsRosewood
Price Upon Request
- "Cubo" sofa by Jorge ZalszupinBy Jorge ZalszupinLocated in London, GBTwo-seater "Cubo" easy chairs by Jorge Zalszupin reupholstered in off-white Boucle.Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric
Price Upon Request - Cubo Sofa Jorge ZalszupinBy Jorge ZalszupinLocated in Houston, TXCubo sofa 1960 / re-edition start 2020 Designed by Jorge Zalszupin in the late 1970s, the Cubo line is different from his other collections. Lightweight and made of wood, these piece...Category
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsVelvet, Wood
$20,737 - Lobby Sofa by Jorge Zalszupin, 1960sBy Jorge ZalszupinLocated in Sao Paulo, SPWe work with artisans who masterfully restore typical pieces from each period of our history, valuing their different preservation techniques. Teamwork has built this pioneering comp...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Sofas
MaterialsLinen
$3,450 / item - Jorge Zalszupin Brasiliana Sofa, circa 1959By Jorge ZalszupinLocated in São Paulo, SPBrasiliana sofá by Jorge Zalszupin in jacarandá. Wood shows time patina as supposed. Amazing condition. The upholstery was generic made, can be redone ...Category
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Rosewood
$36,000 Sale Price20% Off - Vintage Manhattan Sofa by Brazilian Designer Jorge Zalszupin, c. 1960By Jorge ZalszupinLocated in New York, NYThe iconic Manhattan is a series composed of a sofa and armchair designed by Jorge Zalszupin (1922-2020) in 1960 and produced by his company, L'atelier. The piece is made of a wood structure entirely upholstered, with an organic shape achieved by the curvy lines of the single volume. The work of Jorge Zalszupin (1922-2020) presented itself as one of the most versatile in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His designs are an example of a transition process from the artisanal production mode to serial industrial production. L'atelier Móveis...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Faux Leather
- Jorge Zalszupin Manhattan Sofa L'atelier Brazil 1960By Jorge ZalszupinLocated in Roosendaal, Noord BrabantSuper rare and fully original ‘Manhattan’ sofa designed by Jorge Zalszupin and manufactured in his own company L'Atelier, Brazil 1960. Since few were ma...Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsFaux Leather
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The One-of-a-Kind Design Coming Out of Brazil Is Game Changing
Move over classic mid-century mod. Contemporary designers and dealers from São Paulo and beyond are redefining Brazilian furniture while honoring the legacy of local legends.
The Weird Science of Rogan Gregory’s Hypnotic Designs
Using stone, wood and bronze, the wildly inventive sculptor creates an entirely new species of functional art object.