Luigi Tiengo Surfboard Back Gondola Sofa for Cimon

About the Item

Strikingly sculptural vintage early 1960s gondola sofa with floating surfboard upholstered back designed by Luigi Tiengo for Cimon Ltée of Montreal in 1964. Loose seat cushion. Walnut frame. Tapered splayed walnut legs. Visually impactful from all sides. Newly upholstered in wool Maharam "Layers Vineyard Small" by Hella Jongerius. Luigi Tiengo was born in Adria, Italy in 1926, studied industrial design and won a prestigious furniture design award in 1956. That same year he emigrated to Canada where he began designing for several Montreal furniture manufacturers on a freelance basis (Cimon, Jaymar, Samton Metal and Deilcraft). His designs won many awards from the late 1950's through the mid-1990's when he devoted himself to his watercolor painting. His furniture designs continue to be admired by collectors and designers as well as scholars of 20th century Canadian design. His designs from the 1960's in particular embody the organic modernist movement expressed so eloquently in the work of Vladimir Kagan, Edward Wormley and Adrian Pearsall. Jongerius, who is regarded as one of the most innovative and creative designers working today, explores new visions for design, craft, art and technology in her products for everyday life. She creates unique pieces using industrial processes and archetypal forms, explaining: “Why should I design anything new if certain forms have long proved their usefulness? An archetypal vase is, to me, round-bellied and has a narrow neck. They have been made that way for hundreds of years and for a good reason. . . . You consciously avoid designing new forms, but you add a new dimension, a different function or a different story. . . . When I get a commission from Maharam, I don’t rush to my drawing board to design a snazzy new pattern. I pore through the archives, use existing patterns, and add a new concept to them”. Quoted in Hella Jongerius, Phaidon Press, London, 2003

Dimensions:

Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 96 in (243.84 cm)Depth: 30 in (76.2 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Walnut,Wool

Place of Origin:

Canada

Period:

1960-1969

Date of Manufacture:

1964