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Rare "Kovacs" Modular Shelving, Designed by Jorge Zalszupin, 60's, Brazil

Name: Rare "Kovacs" Modular Shelving, Designed by Jorge Zalszupin, 60's, Brazil
Brand: Jorge Zalszupin
Price: 80000 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Definitely a statement piece, this fantastic “Kovacs” modular shelving was designed in the ’60s by the Brazilian master Jorge Zalszupin. Super versatile, the design itself allows the creation of different types of compositions, shapes, and looks. The piece has units that can vary in height and kind. They can be assembled in different ways, including the big shelves, designed to serve as a base. The beautiful mix of textures from the veneered Brazilian hardwood and colors white, black and yellow is beautifully done. A very elegant design with perfect proportions. The shelves are in very condition and beautifully patinated by time. The piece is not restored yet. We do work with the best craftsmen, so we can restore it guaranteeing a high-end and polished finish while keeping its original aura and attraction. Zalszupin is known for its impeccable woodcraft expertise, care, and attention to detail. Besides his unique way of combining geometric lines and organic shapes, his love for wood and the constant dialogue with traditional craft techniques brings a level of quality to his creation that is rare and celebrated worldwide to this day. Originally born in Poland, Jorge Zalszupin built his entire career in Brazil, where he's absorbed many influences on his design, especially the care and attention to the treatment of the tropical wood.

Creator:

Jorge Zalszupin (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 59.06 in (150 cm)Width: 118.12 in (300 cm)Depth: 15.75 in (40 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Wood,Veneer,Woodwork

Place of Origin:

Brazil

Period:

Mid-20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1960

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

Sao Paulo, BR

Reference Number:

Seller: 64971stDibs: LU3173328807032

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Shop All Jorge Zalszupin

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.

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