Sculptural Coffee Table with Human Figures in Wood and Glass by Gian Paulo Zaltron, Italy, 1973

Zaltron was born in Turin in 1932 and subsequently devoted his life to ceramics. After the war he started working with almost all the manufacturers active in Turin who produced small statues. Including Ars Pulchra, Le Bertetti, and Sandro Vacchetti’s Essevi. He then started working in the studio of sculptor and famous ceramist Victor Cerrato.Cerrato’s studio was a lively and stimulating environment with a rich cultural exchange, as it was frequently visited by architects and artists, mainly from Turin. After his time at Cerrato, Zaltron started to follow his own path and in 1959 he had a solo exhibition at the famous Galleria Il Sestante in Milan, where he exhibited works made of glazed earth, majolica and ceramics.Initially, his work mainly consisted of decorations for new buildings, but due to the crisis in the construction sector of 1963, Zaltron had to broaden his horizons. He started to focus on furnishing accessories and used all kinds of materials such as bronze, glass and wood. This spectacular work can rightly be called a conversational piece.

Design
After some time taking in the sculpture that is the base, you will see two human figures, one of which is certainly a woman. She leans her head back and strokes her long hair as she rests on her knees. The slender body of the other figure is positioned one hundred and eighty degrees compared to the other figure, playing a flute that seems to melt or fade as we follow the shape.A beautifully patinated dark-stained poplar wood reflects on the incoming light and ensures that the bodies of the human figures make a powerful impression. We see their shapes on the surface, but Zaltron has given them a full three dimensional body which becomes visible whilst we gaze upon the sides. Notice the arm that runs from the elbow on the table surface to the hand. As if this arm is holding the table with a lot of strength. The scene of the two figures and their entwined posture radiates pure drama. Are we watching a performance of two lovers or are they doing their best to become that? At least they deserve to be admired for a while.

Condition
Its wooden base structure is covered with a glass plate and shows minimal signs of use overall.