Pere Cosp. Shoehorn chairs, 1948-1949

PERE COSP (Barcelona, 1907-2007).
Pair of shoehorn chairs, 1948-1949.
Walnut wood.
Marks of use. Upholstery damaged and soiled. In need of refinishing. Old xylophages.
Provenance: House in Llavaneras (Barcelona) with interior designed entirely by Pere Cosp in 1948-1949, referenced on the website dedicated to the author, perecosp.wordpress.com, which lists the most important interior designs he made for individuals and companies.
Measurements: 72 x 43 x 47 cm.
Pair of shimming chairs designed by Pere Cosp, with sabre back legs and openwork backrest. The handcrafted finish is combined with a modern concept, characteristic of the author. Pere Cosp was an interior designer from Barcelona. With a largely self-taught background, Pere Cosp redirected the family craft workshop towards interior design and integral decoration. The profession served him to give free rein to his creative talent, intentionally distanced from the fashions and trends of the time. Proof of the non-conformist and restless personality that defined him are the designs of his furniture, which still retain an innovative and transgressive spirit. Cosp attended the Escuela de Artes y Bellos Oficios (School of Arts and Crafts), as well as the perspective classes of Professor Arola. But more important for him was the practical part: entering the family workshop and experiencing at first hand all the trades that were carried out there: gilding, mouldings and all kinds of restoration work. He also worked with the furniture maker Alonso and the decorator Parcerises. Pere Cosp was a pioneer in the use of materials that could be called humble, such as pine wood, chipboard, raffia, etc., which he elevated to a higher level through their treatment and use. He often collaborated with other trades: in the field of metal, he worked with Biosca y Botey and Pere Peronella. In this line of collaborations, he produced screen feet, wall sconces, outdoor furniture for gardens, an extensive collection of knobs and handles. The decoration of these elements or the final finishing was always done in the workshop. He carried out combinations of great beauty: stone, marble - Terra Passani was the main supplier - mosaic, in collaboration with Bru, glass, Granell, enamel, Morató, lacquers. Over the course of his 50-year career, he transformed around a hundred private homes into modern dwellings, often ahead of their time. His personal stamp impregnated every corner of the home: he distributed spaces, designed the furniture and decided even the smallest decorative detail.