Gio Ponti
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& Piero Fornasetti, a unique cabinet, executed for the MS Guilio Cesare, Italy ca 1951.
Veneered with mahogany, doors and drawers with cream coloured lacquer, brass fittings, to upper part with sliding doors applied with hand-painted panels of card-players designed by Piero Fornasetti. The back marked "ITALIA" and "8". Length 235 cm, depth 40,5 cm, height 153 cm. Key included.
Some small damages, the back with repair and drilled hole, small retouches.
Saleroom notice
A printed and signed certificate by Salvatore Licitra at the Gio Ponti Archives is included with the lot.
Provenance
Christies 20th Century Decorative Art & Design sale, London 3 May 2012, lot 115.
Literature
Paolo Piccione, "Gio Ponti Le Navi - Il progetto degli interni navali 1948-1953", Idea Books, 2007, see the interior of the transatlantic ocean liner Giulio Cesare illustrated pp 94-115, the ship's panels with the actual painted motif of cardplayers illustrated from the first class game room, pp 114-115. See also another view of the game room illustrated in the Fornasetti archives.
More information
MS Giulio Cesare for Società di Navigazione Italia was completed in September 1951 and made her maiden voyage on October 27, 1951 from Genoa to Naples and then to Buenos Aires. The interior was decorated by Gio Ponti, Piero Fornasetti, Paolo di Poli and Nino Zonkado. The game room in first class was decorated with panels with motifs of card players and the ceiling was decorated with motifs of playing cards. The doors on the auction sideboard has the same decor as on the panel on the wall, designed by Piero Fornasetti. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of this piece of furniture in the Fornasetti archives.
Designer
Gio (Giovanni) Ponti was an Italian architect and designer. He trained as an architect in Milan and graduated there in 1921. Ponti set up an architectural office early on with Emilio Lancia and Mino Fiocchi, while at the same time working on designing porcelain for the Richard-Ginori firm in a classicist modern style. Ponti's buildings were furnished with furniture and textiles designed by him. The furniture was executed by several different producers, for example Giordano Chiesa, cabinetmaker Angelo Magnoni and Cassina. In 1928, Ponti started the architecture and interior design magazine "Domus", which is still an important source today. Ponti also designed glass for the company Venini on Murano outside Venice. In Sweden, Ponti (together with Swedish architect Ture Wennerholm) designed the Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm, where building and interior design are in harmony in a way that is significant for Ponti. The institute was built between the years 1957-1958.
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