On the occasion of the "American / Brazilian / Japanese Design" sale on Thursday, July 2, 2020, PIASA auction house offers for sale 14 pieces by the American designer George Nakashima.
The aesthetics of the wooden furniture that the American designer George Nakashima has fashioned all his life has propelled him high into the pantheon of interior design history. The artist's fascination with the expressive potential of wood left in places as a tree trunk must be related to the region in which he was born in 1905.
Born into a Japanese family, George Nakashima was born in Spokane, Washington. For this town living mainly from mining and logging, the first years of the 20th century were synonymous with economic decline. As far as the eye can see, the surroundings of the city are covered for a thick layer of trees. He abandoned this natural environment to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Upon graduation, the 26-year-old leaves the United States and embarks on a great journey.
He traveled to France as a bohemian artist for several months. Via North Africa, George Nakashima then continued his journey towards Japan. He discovers the design and architecture of the Japanese archipelago with Antonin Raymond, himself trained by Cass Gilbert and Frank Lloyd Wright.
He makes his first furniture for an ashram in Pondicherry, India, which the authorities entrusted him with the construction. In 1940, he returns to Seattle where he teaches woodworking. As a result of the United States' entry into the war, the designer of Japanese origin was taken prisoner. He was not released until 1943 thanks to the sponsorship of his friend Antonin Raymond.
George Nakashima (1905-1990)
Conoid - Unique piece
Pair of lounge chairs
Walnut, white walnut and fabric
Studio Nakashima 1989 edition
Signed 'Lounge Nakashima April 3 1989'
Creation date: 1989
H 85,5 × L 87 × P 88 cm
The PIASA design department will be offering this pair of walnut heaters for sale on Thursday, July 2, 2020. Made in the mid-1980s, it is estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000 euros. It explicitly reflects the influence that the aesthetics of Japanese furniture has had on his work.
George Nakashima (1905-1990)
Minguren I - Unique piece
Coffee table
Walnut
Bears the name of the special order and engraved 'III' beneath the tabletop
Creation date: 1967
H 56 × Ø 84 cm
Economical in materials and minimal in the composition of its forms, the "Minguren I" coffee table was made in 1967. Its low estimate was established at 12,000 euros. It was a special order for Mr. Walter Kaufman.
With pieces such as the "Model 3251" sofa, estimated between 30,000 and 40,000 euros, George Nakashima illustrates his virtuosity in the use of wood. It was published by Widdicomb in 1958.
