Pierre Jeanneret Cane Bench, Model PJ-SI-33-C, Chandigarh, c.1955-56

Teak and cane bench by Pierre Jeanneret, catalogued as model PJ-SI-33-C, from the Chandigarh furniture program, circa 1955–1956. Three adjoining rectangular woven panels are contained within a long timber seat frame supported by compass-form legs. Jeanneret developed furniture alongside the architecture of Chandigarh, the new city created in post-independence India. Seating was an essential part of its offices, educational establishments and residential interiors. His designs brought modernist composition into direct contact with local woodworking: substantial timber members, economical joints and repeated forms gave ordinary furnishings a distinct architectural presence. The resulting furniture was made to be used, and its character emerges from the way a relatively small number of structural elements organize the body, the supporting frame and the spaces between them. The teak frame divides the seat into a measured sequence, giving the cane a clear structural boundary. The closely woven surface contrasts with the broader, solid members of the base. At each end, the supports spread outward in an A-shaped profile; a low stretcher running along the bench connects them beneath the seat. Viewed from above, the three-panel arrangement is a defining feature of this example. Viewed from the side, the open base and thin woven plane keep the bench light in appearance despite the substantial section of the teak legs. The armless, backless format emphasizes the continuity of the seating surface and the rhythm established by the supporting framework. The vintage teak retains variations in grain, color and surface wear, with softened edges and individual traces of use visible in the photographs. These details give the woodwork its material character and preserve the sense of a furnishing made for daily life in institutional or residential interiors. Related Chandigarh cane benches were offered by Wright in Design, March 2021, lot 165. Dimensions: approximately 54 inches wide, 18 inches deep, 15.75 inches high. Provenance: private collection, Chandigarh, India, as recorded by Studio Balestra. Accompanied by a Studio Balestra Certificate of Authenticity. Product Type: Benches