Bentwood Embassy Table #1
Jan Bočan
Description:
This Bentwood table was designed by the Czech architect Jan Bočan for the Czech embassy in Stockholm. Bočan commissioned Michael Thonet’s former factories in the Czech Republic, which operated during the 1970s as a state-owned enterprise under the name, TON, to produce his designs using Thonet’s classic bentwood technique. All of Bočan’s buildings were conceived holistically, everything from the interior details to the furnishings were designed to achieve Gesamtkunstwerk, or a total work of art.
The tabletop surface is beautifully bookmatched, with each quarter reflecting the Beech woodgrain. The mirroring is also seen with the bentwood legs, each section features a complete loop of smooth timber. Bočan’s decision to design the frame in a cross allows for airy and open space for an intimate dining arrangement, as well as simply balancing the weight of the tabletop. The colour of the stain is a dark teal, which accentuates the grain and gives the appearance of peacock feather.
Specifications:
Designer: Jan Bočan
Maker: Ton
Date of Design: 1968-70
Date of Manufacture: Before 1972
Materials: Stained Beech Wood
Width: 125 cm
Depth: 125 cm
Height: 72 cm
Provenance: Czech Embassy Stockholm