Jorge Zalszupin Furniture

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), there was Jorge Zalszupin, who arrived from Poland in 1949 and has since created consistently sleek and elegant chairs, tables and cabinets 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 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 is 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.



1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1950s South American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Jacaranda
1950s South American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Jacaranda
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Linen, Jacaranda
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Imbuia
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Imbuia
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda, Leather
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda, Rosewood, Plywood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda, Suede
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal, Brass
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Paper
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Brass, Chrome
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Plywood
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Concrete
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Steel
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Iron
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Velvet, Wood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s South American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Fabric
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Carrara Marble, Metal
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Chrome
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary British Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Brass
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Iron
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Wood, Leather
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Marble
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Stainless Steel
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Chrome
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Rosewood
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Wood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Jacaranda, Rosewood
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Linen, Rosewood
1960s Brazilian Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Furniture
Iron