66 - JOAQUIM BELSA (Barcelona, 1929–2018) for ARESTA.

JOAQUIM BELSA (Barcelona, 1929–2018) for ARESTA. Three-seater sofa, 1960s. Wood and fabric. It retains its original upholstery. It shows slight signs of wear on the wood and fabric. Measurements: 69 × 187 × 76 cm. The three-seater sofa now up for auction stands out for its distinctly Mediterranean aesthetic, where solid construction is combined with a warm and serene appearance. Its frame is made entirely of solid wood with a pronounced grain and a honey-brown tone, featuring straight, robustly sectioned planes on the legs and the perimeter skirt. Its most distinctive feature lies in the design of the sides, where the armrests trace an elegant downward curve from the backrest to the front, softening the orthogonality of the frame and visually lightening the overall piece. The seat consists of a continuous cushion accompanied by three separate, rounded back cushions, all upholstered in their original covers made of classic striped fabric in shades of blue and cream, which reinforce its fresh and timeless look. The design is the work of Joaquim Belsa for the Catalan manufacturer Aresta, a firm closely linked to Barcelona’s design scene that championed contemporary furniture featuring clean lines, fine materials, and meticulous craftsmanship, reinterpreting the vernacular Mediterranean tradition through a modern sensibility. Its condition faithfully reflects its age, showing slight signs of wear consistent with its era on both the wood and the original fabric covers, while still maintaining very good overall condition. As this is a model produced in limited quantities and it retains its original upholstery, it is a particularly interesting piece due to its rarity on the market. Joaquim Belsa’s work for Aresta is part of the evolution of Spanish furniture design during the 1950s and 1960s, a period marked by the gradual incorporation of modern design principles into the domestic sphere. The “Serie Negra” collection reflects a conception of furniture based on geometric purity, ornamental restraint, and the use of high-quality materials, in harmony with the innovative trends of postwar European design. This dresser is a prime example of the quest for a balance between functionality, formal rigor, and elegance—a hallmark of modern furniture of that era.