Pierre Jeanneret Teak Dining / Work Table, Chandigarh, c.1950s-60s

Rectangular teak dining and work table by Pierre Jeanneret from the Chandigarh furniture program, circa 1950s–1960s. A broad timber top is supported by four inclined legs, producing an open construction with a generous shared surface. Jeanneret’s furnishings were integral to the architectural and institutional life of Chandigarh, the new city developed in post-independence India. Tables and desks translated the requirements of study, administration and communal activity into a concise vocabulary of timber construction. Working with local craftsmen, Jeanneret treated the surface and its supporting members as a complete composition. These objects share the directness of his seating designs, while their different proportions reflect the particular demands of writing, reading, dining and the organization of everyday work. The legs spread outward beneath the corners of the top, creating a stable stance and a clear diagonal counterpoint to the horizontal plane. The relatively slender edge and unobstructed space below keep the table visually direct. Its 72-inch length gives the top sufficient scale for several users while maintaining the restrained outline of an everyday institutional furnishing. The photographed surface carries pronounced wear, darker patches and changes in color that bring out the timber’s material depth. These traces are especially apparent in the close views of the top, where the grain remains visible through an uneven surface. The table’s character rests in the relationship between this substantial working plane and the spare arrangement of its angled supports. 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. Dimensions: approximately 72 inches wide, 36 inches deep, 30.25 inches high. Provenance: private collection, Chandigarh, India, as recorded by Studio Balestra. Accompanied by a Studio Balestra Certificate of Authenticity. Product Type: Desks