A PAIR OF ICONIC AND RARE SHISHU WOOD AND CANE WORK 'CONFERENCE ARM CHAIRS', PIERRE JEANERRET
Indian Rosewood (Shishu), cane
32 x 20 x 22.5 in (81.3 x 50.8 x 57.2 cm) (each)
Le Corbusier, was arguably the most influential architect of the 20th century. He inspired awe and reverence among generations of architects the world over, with his vision of a bold, new architecture that sought to create a better society. His cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, who worked with him closely at various points in his career, was a gifted architect in his own right. Unfortunately, he has long been overshadowed by the larger-than-life persona of the more flamboyant and dramatic Corbusier. It is in Chandigarh that Jeanneret shines for his design genius, as well as his humanity.
After the Partition of India in 1947, Punjab needed a new capital city to replace Lahore, which had become part of Pakistan. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted it to be the symbol of a new India, "unfettered by the traditions of the past, a symbol of the nation's faith in the future". The site selected was Chandigarh, at the foothills of the Sivaliks range of the Himalayas, and the chosen architect was Le Corbusier. Corbusier saw the invitation as an opportunity to build his "radiant city" and agreed to create a master plan for Chandigarh.
He brought on board Jeanneret, a man whom he hadn't worked with for 10 years, following a falling out over political ideologies. Born in Geneva, Pierre Jeanneret graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in his native town and had gone into partnership with Corbusier in 1922. Together, they collaborated on several projects, including the 1926 publication of "Five Points Towards a New Architecture", a seminal manifesto on modern architecture. Their collaboration on Chandigarh was to be their last.
In Chandigarh, Corbusier took sole authority for designing the Capitol building, while the bulk of the work fell to Jeanneret and a team of Indian architects. Over time, Corbusier's appearances became rare, and Jeanneret took on the role of Chief Architect and Urban Planning Designer-a position he held for 15 years. Meticulous by nature, Jeanneret introduced professionalism into their work, making sure on-site projects were finished on time, and equally inspired and balanced Corbusier's ideas and visions with his own pragmatism. Unlike Corbusier's utopian ideals, Jeanneret's approach towards urban planning was humanistic and inclusive. He struck a balance between Indian sensibilities and Modernist principles in his designs.
Jeanneret's artistry is best understood when one looks not to the monumental Capital Complex, but to the less prominent housing sectors, the Punjab University campus, and the furniture designed for the use of government officials.
M.N. Sharma, an architect who worked with Jeanneret, said "There were no furniture shops, no carpet shops, so the architects designed their own. The furniture Jeanneret designed is naturally in the same spirit as the city, in the same school of thought. It is functional, and used locally available material and craftsmen" (accessed online, Amelia Gentleman, "A City That Sat on Its Treasures, but Didn't See Them", The New York Times, March 19, 2008).
From lampposts and municipal light fixtures, to manhole covers, Jeanneret was involved in detailing every aspect of the city. He left a wealth of extraordinarily distinctive and uniquely modern furniture-tables, desks, and shelves-highly geometric in design, to underscore the rational layout of the city.
To equip the new city's government offices, courtrooms and colleges, he designed a series of chairs using teak, cane and rosewood. They are instantly recognizable by their Upside down"V" shaped structure. Using local carpentry, Jeanneret created many versions of the same design, primarily for use in administrative buildings. For senior bureaucrats, leather upholstered backs and armrests were the only luxury. Although thousands of these chairs were created, many rotted or were lost over the years.
Pierre Jeanneret was a beloved and admired man: "Jeanneret's signature in Chandigarh is just as powerful and present as that of his renowned cousin... Jeanneret as a person readily made his skill and abilities available to the Indians, while also being entirely devoted to his cousin. Chandigarh generously returned the favor, granting Pierre a kind of strength, extra independence from his cousin, who accepted this, given Pierre's enduring loyalty" (accessed online, Maristella Casciato, "Introducing Pierre Jeanneret - architect, designer, educator - in Chandigarh", Canadian Centre for Architecture Mellon Lectures, www.cca.qc.ca, Nov. 18, 2010).
In 1965, he left India in poor health and returned to Geneva. At the time of his departure, he reportedly told the people of Chandigarh, "I am leaving my home and going to a foreign country." Upon his death in 1967, his ashes were scattered in Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake, as per his wishes.
br.In June 2015, the Gandhi Bhavan in Punjab University, designed by Jeanneret was awarded a conservation grant of $1,30,000 by the Getty Foundation, as part of "Keeping it Modern", an annual philanthropic initiative to conserve 20th century architecture. Jeanneret is finally beginning to receive the recognition he deserves for his quiet but tremendous contribution to modern architecture.
Crafted from solid teak wood, these dual pairs of rare and iconic armchairs from Chandigarh reflect Pierre Jeanneret's utilitarian principles. The raked, low backrests and square seats of meshed cane, supported by gently tapering armrests and raised scissor legs, show how Jeanneret married modernist aesthetics with local Indian craftsmanship.
Indian Rosewood (Shishu), cane
32 x 20 x 22.5 in (81.3 x 50.8 x 57.2 cm) (each)
Le Corbusier, was arguably the most influential architect of the 20th century. He inspired awe and reverence among generations of architects the world over, with his vision of a bold, new architecture that sought to create a better society. His cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, who worked with him closely at various points in his career, was a gifted architect in his own right. Unfortunately, he has long been overshadowed by the larger-than-life persona of the more flamboyant and dramatic Corbusier. It is in Chandigarh that Jeanneret shines for his design genius, as well as his humanity.
After the Partition of India in 1947, Punjab needed a new capital city to replace Lahore, which had become part of Pakistan. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted it to be the symbol of a new India, "unfettered by the traditions of the past, a symbol of the nation's faith in the future". The site selected was Chandigarh, at the foothills of the Sivaliks range of the Himalayas, and the chosen architect was Le Corbusier. Corbusier saw the invitation as an opportunity to build his "radiant city" and agreed to create a master plan for Chandigarh.
He brought on board Jeanneret, a man whom he hadn't worked with for 10 years, following a falling out over political ideologies. Born in Geneva, Pierre Jeanneret graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in his native town and had gone into partnership with Corbusier in 1922. Together, they collaborated on several projects, including the 1926 publication of "Five Points Towards a New Architecture", a seminal manifesto on modern architecture. Their collaboration on Chandigarh was to be their last.
In Chandigarh, Corbusier took sole authority for designing the Capitol building, while the bulk of the work fell to Jeanneret and a team of Indian architects. Over time, Corbusier's appearances became rare, and Jeanneret took on the role of Chief Architect and Urban Planning Designer-a position he held for 15 years. Meticulous by nature, Jeanneret introduced professionalism into their work, making sure on-site projects were finished on time, and equally inspired and balanced Corbusier's ideas and visions with his own pragmatism. Unlike Corbusier's utopian ideals, Jeanneret's approach towards urban planning was humanistic and inclusive. He struck a balance between Indian sensibilities and Modernist principles in his designs.
Jeanneret's artistry is best understood when one looks not to the monumental Capital Complex, but to the less prominent housing sectors, the Punjab University campus, and the furniture designed for the use of government officials.
M.N. Sharma, an architect who worked with Jeanneret, said "There were no furniture shops, no carpet shops, so the architects designed their own. The furniture Jeanneret designed is naturally in the same spirit as the city, in the same school of thought. It is functional, and used locally available material and craftsmen" (accessed online, Amelia Gentleman, "A City That Sat on Its Treasures, but Didn't See Them", The New York Times, March 19, 2008).
From lampposts and municipal light fixtures, to manhole covers, Jeanneret was involved in detailing every aspect of the city. He left a wealth of extraordinarily distinctive and uniquely modern furniture-tables, desks, and shelves-highly geometric in design, to underscore the rational layout of the city.
To equip the new city's government offices, courtrooms and colleges, he designed a series of chairs using teak, cane and rosewood. They are instantly recognizable by their Upside down"V" shaped structure. Using local carpentry, Jeanneret created many versions of the same design, primarily for use in administrative buildings. For senior bureaucrats, leather upholstered backs and armrests were the only luxury. Although thousands of these chairs were created, many rotted or were lost over the years.
Pierre Jeanneret was a beloved and admired man: "Jeanneret's signature in Chandigarh is just as powerful and present as that of his renowned cousin... Jeanneret as a person readily made his skill and abilities available to the Indians, while also being entirely devoted to his cousin. Chandigarh generously returned the favor, granting Pierre a kind of strength, extra independence from his cousin, who accepted this, given Pierre's enduring loyalty" (accessed online, Maristella Casciato, "Introducing Pierre Jeanneret - architect, designer, educator - in Chandigarh", Canadian Centre for Architecture Mellon Lectures, www.cca.qc.ca, Nov. 18, 2010).
In 1965, he left India in poor health and returned to Geneva. At the time of his departure, he reportedly told the people of Chandigarh, "I am leaving my home and going to a foreign country." Upon his death in 1967, his ashes were scattered in Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake, as per his wishes.
br.In June 2015, the Gandhi Bhavan in Punjab University, designed by Jeanneret was awarded a conservation grant of $1,30,000 by the Getty Foundation, as part of "Keeping it Modern", an annual philanthropic initiative to conserve 20th century architecture. Jeanneret is finally beginning to receive the recognition he deserves for his quiet but tremendous contribution to modern architecture.
Crafted from solid teak wood, these dual pairs of rare and iconic armchairs from Chandigarh reflect Pierre Jeanneret's utilitarian principles. The raked, low backrests and square seats of meshed cane, supported by gently tapering armrests and raised scissor legs, show how Jeanneret married modernist aesthetics with local Indian craftsmanship.