Zaltron was born in Turin in 1932 and subsequently devoted his life to ceramics. After the war he started working with almost all the manufacturers active in Turin who produced small statues. Including Ars Pulchra, Le Bertetti, and Sandro Vacchetti's Essevi. He then started working in the studio of sculptor and famous ceramist Victor Cerrato.Cerrato's studio was a lively and stimulating environment with a rich cultural exchange, as it was frequently visited by architects and artists, mainly from Turin. After his time at Cerrato, Zaltron started to follow his own path and in 1959 he had a solo exhibition at the famous Galleria Il Sestante in Milan, where he exhibited works made of glazed earth, majolica and ceramics.Initially, his work mainly consisted of decorations for new buildings, but due to the crisis in the construction sector of 1963, Zaltron had to broaden his horizons. He started to focus on furnishing accessories and used all kinds of materials such as bronze, glass and wood. This mirror that he made for the famous Gruppo NP2 of Nerone and Patuzzi is therefore a fruit of his later period.The idea behind NP2 in a nutshell was to extract art from the fixed confines of museums and galleries and make it available to the general public. They were heavily inspired by constructivism but gave it an unconventional twist. And unconventional is almost an understatement when we gaze upon this mirror.

Design

The futuristic base and frame beautifully reflect that notion and exists of abstract geometry. Wood carving seems a bit crude at first, but appearances can be deceiving. It contains all kinds of patterns that are a work of art in themselves. While the mirror is clamped into a slot, it seems as if it is being swallowed up by the base.The texture of the black-colored wood communicates an almost oily tactility because a light reflection is visible. A small brass clip can be seen on the left side of the mirror. This clamp is out of our sight connected to a metal rod that is secured to the frame. In conclusion, Zaltron has managed to show us a completely different interpretation of the object “mirror” an sich with his poetic approach. While leaving its function essentially untouched.

Condition

The item is in very good condition with the signature Gian Paulo Zaltron on the back in yellow chalk.

Literature

Eccentricity: arti applicate a Torino 1945-1968, Fondazione per il Libro la Musica la Cultura, 2003. pp. 271-273.