Isamu Noguchi: Table Meets Sculpture
Sotheby’s New York, May 2021
A newly discovered work by Isamu Noguchi offered for auction at Sotheby’s in the spring of 2021, this table provided an opportunity for Louis Soulard to delve further into the work of the American sculptor, working on the research, due diligence, and provenance history of this piece. Work was conducted in tandem with the Noguchi Museum and Dr. Deborah A. Goldberg.
A unique example of an extremely rare design, the present lot originates from a small series of tables designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1945. Recent scholarship has identified three variations of this table design produced from 1945 to 1949 – each group distinguishable by its formal qualities and production details. The present table, which embodies the extraordinary fusion of marble, mahogany and aluminum, is among three examples believed to be from the earliest series of the form, each personally executed by Noguchi himself between 1945-1947. Each of these tables is distinguished by having three handsculpted legs of varying profiles, a hand-sculpted freeform marble top, and a hand-welded spun aluminum bowl which sits asymmetrically within a carved aperture in the top.
The earliest recorded example presently in the collection of The Noguchi Museum (no. 809 A1) was in the collection of the artist’s sister, Ailes Gilmour Spinden, and dates back to 1945. The second recorded example (no. 809 A2), currently in a corporate Japanese collection, presents very similar formalistic qualities in the sculptural treatment of the legs and organic aspect of the seemingly edgeless top. The present piece, a newly discovered example, is recorded as no. 809 A3 and is the third and last known example from this first series executed between 1945-1947.
An important feature of these early tables is the three asymmetrical legs sculpted from tight grained redwoods, including mahogany and other exotic woods, which were carved by Noguchi himself and present with exceptional sculptural presence. The three legs, each presenting unique attributes of their own, exemplify Noguchi’s symbiosis of sculpture and design in his conception of utilitarian objects. The tables produced during this two-year span also stand out by their stone selection, each presenting distinct variations in hues and composition that contribute to the unique identity of each table. The top on the present table, a rich dark grey variegated marble with vigorous white veining and inclusions, is particularly unusual within Noguchi’s body of work from this period, imparting the table’s organic form with a strong dynamic sensibility that sets it apart from other examples.
The present table holds a unique place within this complex and fascinating narrative, being one of the earliest works from the series produced by Noguchi himself. This outstanding work transcends its utilitarian function and emerges as a work of sculpture instilled with the artist’s masterful treatment of wood, stone and metal. This exciting discovery of the present example marks the first occasion that a table from this early formative series is presented at auction, making this a particularly important and historic event for Noguchi connoisseurs and collectors.
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