London – Bonhams celebrates textiles this April with a handwoven artwork designed by internationally acclaimed artist, Olafur Eliasson and created by prestigious Swedish textile studio, Märta Måås-Fjetterström. The work, entitled The Green Glass Carpet leads Bonhams Design Sale at New Bond Street on Wednesday 24 April and is offered with an estimate of £20,000-30,000.
Interest in contemporary crafts, in particular textiles, is centre stage this spring with an exhibition at the Barbican, Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art as well as Lubaina Himid’s impressive Lost Threads show at the Holburne Museum in Bath.
Marcus McDonald, Bonhams Director of 20th century decorative arts comments,
“We are delighted to be offering such an important piece by Olafur Eliasson which celebrates a unique collaboration between a world-renowned artist and the exceptional studio of Märta Måås-Fjetterström, creators of some of the finest handwoven rugs and tapestries in the world. Artists and designers have explored the medium of textiles for generations, but it is only now that it is finally gaining prominence and entering the mainstream. This piece is one of only two ever made and is very special indeed.”
Olafur Eliasson’s Green Glass Carpet
The Green Glass Carpet, centred on the theme of light, and made from handwoven wool on a linen warp, was conceived by Olafur Eliasson for the 2010 Textile of the Year for the Märta Måås-Fjetterström studio. It was handwoven by three of the studio’s artisan weavers in Båstad, in a weaving technique specially developed for the work.
The Märta Måås-Fjetterström studio, established in 1919, has worked with many artists over the years and its founder, Märta Måås-Fjetterström (1873-1941) was a leading Swedish textile artist. The studio’s carpets and tapestries are renowned for their exceptional artistic significance and quality and are held in collections from the Louvre to the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Nationalmuseum, Sweden.
Ceramics from Lucie Rie and Hans Coper
The sale also features an impressive selection of works by some of the greatest names in 20th century British ceramics including Lucie Rie, whose work has seen a resurgence of interest. Lucie Rie achieved a world record at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Paris last year, when a piece, Footed Bowl, sold for €406,800, nearly 10 times its estimate. Hans Coper and Rupert Spira will also feature in the sale.
Highlights include:
- Hans Coper, early globular pot, circa 1954. Stoneware layered white porcelain slips and engobes over a textured and incised body, 25.4cm high, 20.2 cm diameter. Estimate: £20,000-30,000.
- Lucie Rie, Conical Bowl with blue glaze, 15 x 24 x 22 cm. Estimate: £5,000-7,000.
- Elizabeth Fritsch, ‘Cubist’ bottle, circa 1984. Stoneware, coloured slips, 24.3 x 10 x 4cm. Estimate: £3,000-5,000.
- Rupert Spira, large open bowl, 17cm high, 56.1cm diameter. Estimate: £2,000-3,000.
Furniture created by Piero Fornasetti and Alvar Aalto
Works by Italian artist and designer Piero Fornasetti, whose atelier became synonymous with bringing art in to the everyday, as well as works by the Finnish architect and designer, Alvar Aalto, will also feature. Highlights include a Piero Fornasetti ‘Geometrico Bruno’ dining table circa 1955 (estimate: £5,000-7,000), an Alvar Aalto ‘Cabinet model 810’ (estimate: £2,000-3,000) a rare day bed by the Danish designer Frits Henningsen from the 1950s (estimate: £5,000-7,000).
Bonhams Paris Design sale, Design 1900 – Now, will follow the London sale and take place on Wednesday 29 May 2024. Further information can be found here.
