Pair of "Grotto" chair; Italy, Venice, 1950s.

Pair of "Grotto" chair; Italy, Venice, 1950s.
Carved wood.
Measurements: 98 x 38 x 38 cm (x2).
Pair of carved wooden chairs with an organic design inspired by the forms of nature. The history of Grotto chairs is linked to the "grottoes" or artificial grottoes, decorative pavilions with shells built by the European nobility in the 18th and 19th centuries. As a result of this fashion, a style of "grotto" furniture emerged, especially popular in Venice in the late 19th century, featuring chairs, tables and consoles inspired by seashells, dolphins and other marine motifs. The Venetian company Pauly et Cie was one of the leading manufacturers of such pieces.