High 'Torbecchia' Credenza by Giovanni Michelucci for Poltronova in Walnut, Italy, 1964 Lovely version of a the high 'Torbecchia' in excellent condition. No damages and no discolouration or anything. Signed at the side in the corner. The drawers run smooth and the sideboard has a very nice deep wood odour, just what you may expect of such a high-class piece of craftmenship. Giovanni Michelucci was a famed 20th century Italian architect known for seminal works such as designs for the Santa Maria Novella railway station (1932-1935) and the church of St. John the Baptist (1960-1964). Because Michelucci broke with traditionalist architectural views many consider him as being “the father of modern Italian architecture”. In the 60's Michelucci created furniture for Poltronova alongside other notable designers like Ettore Sottsass, Gae Aulenti, Paolo Portoghesi and Angelo Mangiarotti with the aim of designing revolutionising furniture that captured the essence of Italian design. This sterling Mid-Century Modern piece, named the “Torbecchia” credenza (a reference to Michelucci’s favorite restaurant), is among the fruits of that labor. with its angular corners and straight horizontal and vertical lines this sideboard pays homage to Michelucci’s architectural roots. The modest, unpretentious design in combination with the beautiful solid dark brown walnut give the piece a robust and monumental look. The sideboard also offers ample storage space due to two doors situated at the top of the sideboard that reveal spacious storage compartments when opened. Furthermore, the front end contains two drawers with rounded handles and two doors for storage at the bottom. The designer’s signature is engraved at the top right hand corner on the right side. As a result of the aesthetic and functional qualities this striking piece will add grandeur to every interior. Giovanni Michelucci, Italian architect, urban planner and designer, was born in Pistoia, Tuscany, on 2 January 1891 and died at his studio-home in Fiesole, in Florence's hills, now the headquarters of his Foundation. He was one of the major Italian architects of that century, known for famous projects such as the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station and the San Giovanni Battista church on the Autostrada del Sole. He came from a family which owned an outstanding workshop for artistic iron craftsmanship and his youthful formative years were spent immersed in that world, after graduating from the Higher Institute of Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence. In 1914 he was licensed as a professor of architectural design; so he could teach at the Institute of Architecture of Florence, and became Dean of the Faculty of Architecture in 1944. Italian furniture manufacturing company Poltronova was founded just north of Florence by Sergio Cammilli in 1957. Cammili had a background in art, and many believe it was the founder’s remarkable openness to bold creative expression that led the company to become one of the most daring in 20th-century Italian design. Letteratura: Domus 426 (maggio 1965), pubblicità; Domus 434 (gennaio 1966), p. d/322; Pier Carlo Santini, facendo mobili con Poltronova, Artigraf Edizioni, Firenze, 1977; Giuliana Gramigna, Repertorio 1950-2000, Allemandi, Torino, 2003, p. 111.
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