José Zanine Caldas

JOSÉ ZANINE CALDAS (Belmonte, Bahia, 1919–Vitória, Espírito Santo, 2001).
Coffee table, 1979.
Solid angelim wood.
Provenance: private collection, Brazil.
Includes a certificate by Euclides Zanine Caldas Neto.
Measurements: 37 cm high; 90 cm maximum width; tabletop thickness: 10 cm.

Coffee table crafted from solid angelim wood, representative of José Zanine Caldas’s most organic and sculptural style. It preserves the natural cross-section of the log, with its concentric grain, irregularities, and raw edge, making the raw material the absolute focal point of the design.

The thick tabletop rests on supports formed by fragments of raw wood, reinforcing the sense of earthy solidity and a direct connection to the Brazilian landscape. Zanine does not hide the nature of the material but rather celebrates it: cracks, marks, texture, and volume come together in a composition of great visual power, halfway between functional furniture and sculpture.

The work belongs to Zanine Caldas’s most recognizable period, marked by the use of large tropical woods and a deeply ethical and sensory approach to design. His furniture from the 1970s celebrates the structural beauty of wood, but also reflects a pioneering awareness of the responsible use of natural resources, working with logs, scraps, and sections that preserve the memory of the tree.

José Zanine Caldas was a self-taught architect, designer, sculptor, and landscape architect, known as the “Master of Wood.” His work, admired by architects such as Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, constitutes a unique synthesis of traditional Brazilian craftsmanship and modern techniques. His works are represented in major international collections, including the Centre Pompidou and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.