Wharton Esherick
Sofa, 1968
This sofa by Wharton Esherick exemplifies the sculptural approach to furniture that defined his work in the later decades of his career. Esherick is widely regarded as one of the founding figures of the American Studio Furniture movement, approaching furniture not simply as functional objects but as sculptural forms intended to shape the experience of space.
Among Esherick’s most accomplished designs in terms of both form and function, the sofa’s gently curved form was conceived to facilitate conversation by allowing seated individuals to more easily face one another. As temperature and humidity fluctuate, the red-painted splines between the boards become subtly visible, revealing the structural joinery and emphasizing the material responsiveness of the wood. This sofa is one of only three free-standing examples Esherick produced, each unique in its design; several additional examples were created as built-in installations.
Works from the 1960s represent a mature period in Esherick’s practice, when his lifelong interest in carving and organic form was fully integrated with furniture design. His goal was to create furniture that functioned as sculpture and sculpture that functioned as furniture.
Wharton Esherick (1887 – 1970) was an internationally significant figure in the landscape of art history and American modern design. As a sculptor, Esherick worked primarily in wood and extended his unique forms to furniture, furnishings, interiors, buildings, and more. A Philadelphia-area modernist sculptor deeply influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, Wharton Esherick designed and built furniture distinctive for its asymmetric, prismatic forms. His goal was to design furniture that functioned as sculpture, and sculpture that functioned as furniture.
| Dimensions | 35 × 90 × 32 in |
|---|---|
| Style | |
| Date | 1968 |
| Artist | |
| Exhibitions | Design Miami/ Paris 2023 |
