793 - MENDINI, ALESSANDRO

MENDINI, ALESSANDRO Title: Unique Wooden Armchair 'Poltrona di Proust'. Date: Designed in 1978. Manufactured by Studio Alessandro Mendini, Milan, 2000. Material: Carved wood, upholstered seats and armrests. Dimensions: Approx. 105 x 102 x 82 cm. Mark: Inscribed “A. Mendini 2000” and “Y.M.” in black on the inside of the openwork apron. Description: An armchair inspired by Baroque designs, featuring a high, curved backrest, volute-shaped armrests, and a richly carved frame with floral motifs. The wooden frame and upholstery are entirely adorned with a detailed, pointillist pattern in various pastel shades. The backrest is predominantly light blue, while the seat, armrests, and frame feature a multicolored design. Alessandro Mendini is regarded as one of the most significant Italian designers of the second half of the 20th century. As an architect, designer, artist, and writer, he left his mark on Italian design in the 1970s and 1980s. His work represents a deliberate departure from classical functionalism in favor of color, ornamentation, and the fusion of art and design. An outstanding example is the Poltrona di Proust, designed in 1978. The armchair’s curved silhouette and decorative carvings evoke the 18th-century French furniture tradition. Mendini contrasts this historical form with an unusual surface design: numerous small colored dots cover the wood and upholstery. Inspired by Neo-Impressionist painting, particularly the works of Paul Signac, he applies a painterly principle to a three-dimensional object. The individual dots are visible up close, while from a distance they merge to create an overall effect of color. The armchair thus becomes a kind of three-dimensional painting in its own right. The combination of historical forms with contemporary design is characteristic of Mendini’s so-called “re-design,” in which familiar objects are reinterpreted through new artistic and cultural references. The name “Poltrona di Proust” also alludes to his exploration of the past and memory. The starting point was the idea of a textile pattern inspired by Marcel Proust, from which the armchair’s design eventually evolved. The first “Poltrona di Proust” was created in 1978 as a one-of-a-kind piece, followed by additional examples and variations. The armchair offered here was created in 2000 in Mendini’s studio as a unique piece for its owners. Its distinctive, hand-painted finish emphasizes its unique character, straddling the line between furniture, a painting, and an art object. Today, the Poltrona di Proust is regarded as a key work of Italian postmodern design. Other versions are held in major museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein. Provenance: - Private collection in North Rhine-Westphalia. From the artist’s studio. Literature: Casciani, Stefano: Alessandro Mendini: Imagination Takes Command, New York 2025. For the “Proust” armchair, see p. 65 ff. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is only available via a shipping company after consultation following the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros For a total invoice amount exceeding 25,000 Euros: 1.8 per mille Shipping to the USA by individual arrangement after the auction. #Alessandro Mendini #Italy #Design Works of Art.