Newsletter 213 February 2019
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The Furniture History Society Newsletter 213 February 2019 In this issue: A Contemporary Commission: The Schiele Chair | Society News | A Tribute | Research | Future Society Events | Occasional and Overseas Visits | Other Notices | Book Review | Reports on the Society’s Events | Publications | Grants A Contemporary Commission: The Schiele Chair he Schiele Chair , made by Dublin-based The brief to Rod (b. 1950 ) and Alison Wales T craftsman Colin Harris (b. 1972 ), is one (b. 1952 ) was to create this piece of of the most recent additions to the furniture to echo the existing Renaissance Goodison gift of contemporary British cassoni in the Fitzwilliam’s collection. The crafts to the Fitzwilliam Museum, resulting fumed and limed oak chest with University of Cambridge. 1 stainless steel inlay is partly painted red It is one of several pieces of furniture in and blue, inspired by the saturated colours the collection commissioned from leading of the museum’s Italian Renaissance British designers/makers. Collectively, religious painting, especially the these pieces demonstrate the quality of traditional red dress and blue mantle of work undertaken by these makers over the the Virgin Mary. Rod and Alison Wales last thirty years, an achievement that has share a history with Colin Harris (the not received the attention of many maker of The Schiele Chair ) in that all three commentators or furniture historians. The studied/worked at Parnham College, museum hopes to be a centre for studies in founded by John Makepeace. 6 the field, encouraging the interest of Makepeace opened Parnham College visitors and the involvement of makers. (originally, The School for Craftsmen in It is the latest in a series of furniture Wood) on 19 September 1977 , in what had commissions. These have included: two been an abandoned manor house in West rosewood and satinwood half-moon tables Dorset. The college was revolutionary. by Alan Peters, together with a sycamore Makepeace believed that the existing and maple console table and a pair of options for young makers were too chairs of Devon walnut and rosewood, all limited, and that attitudes towards from the same suite; 2 a pair of chairs of ‘business’ in the craft world were often, fumed oak, cast aluminium and red unhelpfully, anti-entrepreneurial. Instead, leather by John Makepeace (b. 1939 ), he proposed a private, residential school Britain’s best-known furniture offering a small number of students (ten designer/maker, made in 2015 after a per year) the opportunity to take up a design for ceremonial furniture created for focused two-year course in furniture the graduation ceremonies at Plymouth design and making under Principal Robert University; 3 two elmwood chairs by Ingham, which encompassed practical Matthew Burt; 4 and a marriage chest by skills and techniques, complex projects Wales & Wales, one of the leading working to briefs as well as business and furniture design studios in the UK today. 5 marketing, providing makers with the 2 furniture history society newsletter, no. 213, february 2019 necessary skills to set up on their own as prize at the 15 th International Furniture self-employed designer-makers. The Design Competition in Valencia, Spain. course culminated in a high-profile After spending a number of years working exhibition. Described by Sir Christopher in sustainable engineering and designing Frayling as a place ‘where the hand, the for international studios, Harris returned head and the heart could be brought to his first love, instilled in him by his together’, 7 the college, although often furniture-making grandfather, and to described as ‘intense’ and ‘monastic’, Dublin, where he established his own combined serious learning of traditional studio in 2015 . skills with an entirely modern outlook, Harris’s engineering training is evident integrating different disciplines. In the in his designs, which combine precise words of John Makepeace, ‘instead of balance with sculptural liveliness, using being seen as separate entities, design, wild Irish hardwoods. Both the form and making and business management needed colour of The Schiele Chair (see front cover) to be regarded as related and mutually were inspired by the painting ‘Seated complementary’. 8 Woman with Bent Knees’ ( 1917 ) by Parnham provided a unique Austrian artist, Egon Schiele ( 1890 –1918 ), environment that encouraged close and now in the collection of the National intense relationships between students, Gallery, Prague. 10 which often lasted decades after their The painting depicts the artist’s wife, period of study. Alumni are now spread Edith Harms, seated in a provocative but around the world, and although some, relaxed pose. It was painted just a year such as David Linley (Parnham 1980 –82 ) before both she and Schiele (and their and Konstantin Grcic (Parnham 1985 –87 ), unborn child) succumbed to Spanish flu. have moved onto design more broadly, The empty space around the pose, and the often working in materials other than absence of background, emphasize the wood, others, such as Jim Partridge position of her arms and legs to the extent (Parnham 1977 –79 ), also represented in the that the pose begins to seem distorted. Fitzwilliam’s contemporary collection, and Harris explains this unusual connection Colin Harris (Parnham 1995 –97 ), continue between painting and chair: to work predominantly with wood, I spent a summer working in Prague in creating objects to commission. 9 1994 and when travelling I visited a museum of Egon Schiele in Český Harris is typical of many students at Krumlov. I really love Schiele’s Parnham in that he had studied elsewhere paintings, the lines, the female forms and previously — Engineering at Trinity I think that he is expressing what may be going on internally (emotions) rather College, Dublin, where he was awarded a than pure external form. I bought a print Foundation Scholarship in 1992 and a of the Seated Woman there and I had it Gold Medal in 1994 . At Parnham, he was with me during my time in Parnham. awarded the Oldham Prize and Smallpiece The brief for the chair design was to make a chair with anthropomorphic Prize (for the design of The Schiele Chair ) in qualities. After a lot of thinking, it struck 1997 , the same year winning the student me that I could use the painting as the furniture history society newsletter, no. 213, february 2019 3 Egon Schiele, Seated Woman with Bent Knees . Photograph courtesy of the National Gallery, Prague starting point for it. It took a long time of Ground, was later purchased by a client drawing and prototyping to come up based in the Bahamas. This third edition of with a chair form that worked well. 11 the chair was commissioned as a direct Harris captures the figure of the seated result of the publication of the design in woman using the basic elements of a chair, the celebratory publication Beyond resulting in a work that is surprising and Parnham (2017 ). It was completed by stable, although it appears as if it is not. Harris in seven weeks. The original chair (which won Harris the A very informative technical report by Smallpiece Prize at Parnham) was Harris (kindly donated by him to the acquired by collector Mimi Lipton, and a Fitzwilliam Museum) details the process of second, made in 1998 and exhibited at the combining the steel, beech legs and steam- contemporary design show, Modern bent beech slats. After many trigonometry 4 furniture history society newsletter, no. 213, february 2019 equations determining the curve of each dry jointed to the steel rods. The slats were slat, Harris completed detailed drawings stained and the legs spray-painted before, and 3D modelling of the chair before finally, each component was glued up, sourcing the materials. The practical resulting in the finished chair. process began by turning the steamed This angular feat of engineering beech legs, which were glued and clamped perfectly encapsulates the principles at a precise angle. The two bent vertical instilled by Parnham College; the chair steel rods were welded into place by brings together woodworking skill and Harris’s uncle, and the slats slowly added, craftsmanship, but also precise and with Harris carefully recording the angle innovative design, utilizing Harris’s of curvature that would be required for knowledge of engineering. It is an each slat. individual design but one that is in Harris created his own steam box using demand, as can be seen from the fact that OSB board and a wallpaper steamer, three editions of it have been made to date, enabling him to steam each slat before and therefore commercially successful. bending it around a bending jig, using a Harris now runs his own studio and compression strap to hold it in place. acknowledges the significant effect These slats were held in position to dry. Parnham had on him and his practice, The legs were drilled for the metal explaining: threaded rod dowels and the chair was I loved the experience at Parnham — then able to support itself. Each slat was learning how to work skilfully with then planed, cut to the correct length and wood and other materials and then the The Schiele Chair in Colin Harris’s studio, part-completed, week 5 of 7. © Colin Harris furniture history society newsletter, no. 213, february 2019 5 opening up of the world of design. freestanding bulkhead beneath a painting There, I found what I love doing and by Prunella Clough, adjacent to a wooden made some very good friends on the way too. 12 sculpture by Barbara Hepworth and paintings by Frank Auerbach and Keith The Schiele Chair is currently on display Vaughan. in the Twentieth Century Gallery at the helen ritchie Fitzwilliam Museum alongside the other Curator, Applied Arts Goodison gift furniture. In the Fitzwilliam The Fitzwilliam Museum tradition of showing furniture, sculpture University of Cambridge and other applied arts alongside paintings in what is often known as the ‘country 1 See A.