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HANS ITEL (1898–1988) Anthroposophical Stand
circa 1930
laminated and carved ash
height 47 3/4in (123.5cm); width 37in (94cm); depth 28 3/4in (73cm)
circa 1930
laminated and carved ash
height 47 3/4in (123.5cm); width 37in (94cm); depth 28 3/4in (73cm)
Sold for US$48,640 inc. premium
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HANS ITEL (1898–1988)
circa 1930
laminated and carved ash
height 47 3/4in (123.5cm); width 37in (94cm); depth 28 3/4in (73cm)
Footnotes
Hans Itel was a prominent figure in Anthroposophical design, a body of work that embodies the principles pioneered by Austrian philosopher and spiritualist Rudolf Steiner (1861-1912). Centered around the town of Dornach, Switzerland, the location of the Goetheneaum, the surreal concrete structure that served as the center for the Anthroposophical Society which Steiner founded in 1912, Anthroposophical, or Dornach, design escews straight lines and right angles, and instead incorporates flowing, organic forms with an emphasis on natural materials. Anthroposophical art presupposed an unconscious interaction between mind and matter and believed that furnishings affected the body, mind, and spirit. Steiner also maintained that the arts were most "socially effective" when in use by the people. Far from being a luxury, art was a spiritual necessity.
Itel was deeply influenced by Steiner's writings. In 1922, with Ernst Aisenpreis, Itel designed and built a home in Dornach, called Villa Dornröschen, complete with built-in furnishings in the Dornach style. Although the villa was tragically demolished in 1999, some of Itel's creations survived. Among these was the powerfully expressive table. Carved from stack-laminated wood, Itel's table exemplifies the concepts of visual music and a living surface of convex and concave curves that resonate with a sense of the sacred.
Provenance
Collection of Reinhold J. Fäth

