Pierre Jeanneret - Design London Wednesday, April 23, 2008 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    High Court, Chandigarh, India

  • Catalogue Essay

    In 1947, India emerged from colonial rule and Prime Minister Jawaharal Nehru appointed Le Corbusier to design the new capitol of Chandigarh in an effort to bring India into the modern age. Le Corbusier's designs typically provided an aesthetic of openness and purity. For the city plan of Chandigarh, his practice shifted. His structures appeared pre-historic, reflecting a crude, more sculptural style. He maintained that space was of the utmost importance, always thinking in terms of large scale buildings and equally large open spaces.
     
    Le Corbusier's cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, served as his partner for the Chandigarh project. Like Le Corbusier, Jeanneret's style expanded from being cool and mechanical to incorporate the style and symbols of Eastern philosophy. For example, his masterpiece, the Gandhi Bhawan, appears to float in a body of water on the University campus, resembling a lotus flower. In an effort to bring beauty and comfort to everyone in Chandigarh, he designed modest buildings and homes as well as the University campus and library.
     Jeanneret designed many interiors and furnishings for private and public buildings in Chandigarh. Through his 'Low Cost Furniture' program, he worked with local materials and with the aid of city residents, allowing him to incorporate native craftsmanship into his own designs. Because of his devotion to the Chandigarh project, he became a member of the community, and he was named Chief Architect of the city. He was forced to leave in 1965 due to health issues and upon his death two years later, Jeanneret's ashes were, at his request, scattered on Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh.

71

‘Conference’ armchair, from High Court, Chandigarh, India

1952-1956
Teak, wicker.
78.7 cm (31 in.) high
Back edge of seat painted ‘C.S.L. 56’.

Estimate
£2,500 - 3,500 

Sold for £6,875

Design

24 Apr 2008, 2pm
London