20th Century Double-Sided Table Mirror in the style of Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte, 1950

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Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 34 cm; Width: 33.5 cm; Depth: 8.5 cm; Weight: 2.385 kg

Item :
A refined and unusual double-sided … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 34 cm; Width: 33.5 cm; Depth: 8.5 cm; Weight: 2.385 kg

Item :
A refined and unusual double-sided table mirror of Italian design, most likely dating to the second half of the 1950s and, due to stylistic and construction similarities, attributable to Fontana Arte's production during the period of Max Ingrand. The object is distinguished by its sculptural and three-dimensional conception: the self-supporting base in polished cast metal, with an organic and aerodynamic shape, features an oval front cavity and is more complex than that of common vanity mirrors. Both sides are mirrored and optically equivalent, allowing for a 360-degree use and aesthetic enjoyment. The mounting system, which uses metal and elastic elements, reveals a design focus on protecting the crystal. In terms of lines, materials, and formal structure, the piece engages with the language developed by Fontana Arte in the 1950s, particularly the work of Max Ingrand, despite the current lack of a trademark or reliable documentation. Among the elements of greatest collector's interest are the rare double-sided configuration, the cast metal structure, and the strong sculptural presence of the base.
Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
Fontana Arte is one of the most important manufacturers in the history of Italian design. Officially founded in 1932 within the historic Luigi Fontana company, it quickly established itself as a laboratory of excellence in the dialogue between art, industry, glass, lighting, and furniture. After initial artistic direction, in 1954 the creative leadership passed to Max Ingrand, a French master glassmaker and decorator born in 1908 and trained at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Active since the 1930s in the creation of stained glass windows and large-scale decorations, Ingrand participated in prestigious projects for religious and monumental buildings, as well as working for famous ocean liners. At the helm of Fontana Arte for approximately a decade, he decisively contributed to defining the company's modern identity, applying his profound knowledge of glass, light, and metals to industrial design. Among his best-known projects is the 1954 Fontana lamp, still in production today. Ingrand's works are present in French museum collections, and he has been the subject of dedicated studies and exhibitions. The reference to Max Ingrand and the Fontana Arte circle, in the case of the example presented here, should therefore be understood as a historical-stylistic attribution based on formal and construction characteristics, and not as a definitive identification in the absence of a trademark or archival documentation. See less