Pere Cosp

PERE COSP (Barcelona, 1907-2007).
Chest of drawers, 40s-50s.
Beech wood.
Measurements: 40 x 74 x 71 cm.

The chest of drawers designed by Pere Cosp now on auction stands out for synthesizing the values that made this creator a relevant figure of contemporary Catalan design and cabinetmaking: the vindication of craftsmanship, constructive honesty and the reinterpretation of traditional forms through a modern and refined language. The piece combines a structure of simple lines with a striking staggered top of sculptural character, where the quality of the wood, the care of the assemblies and the contrast of finishes acquire an absolute protagonism.

As we can see, far from industrial production, Cosp conceived furniture with a strong formal identity and exceptional craftsmanship, turning functional objects such as this chest of drawers into signature pieces that reflect the close relationship between design, craftsmanship and Mediterranean tradition.

Pere Cosp was an interior designer and designer from Barcelona. With a mostly self-taught background, Pere Cosp redirected the family craft workshop towards interior design and integral decoration. The profession served him to give free rein to his creative talent, intentionally distanced from the fashions and trends of the time. Proof of that nonconformist and restless personality that defined him are the designs of his furniture, which still today retain an innovative and transgressive spirit. Cosp attended the Escuela de Artes y Bellos Oficios, as well as the perspective classes of Professor Arola. But more important for him was the practical part: entering the family workshop and living closely all the trades that were developed there: gilding, moldings and all kinds of restoration work. He also worked with the furniture maker Alonso and the decorator Parcerises. Pere Cosp was a pioneer in the use of materials that we could call humble, such as pine wood, chipboard, raffia, etc., which with his treatments and uses he elevated in category. He often collaborated with other trades: in the field of metal, he worked with Biosca y Botey and Pere Peronella. In this line of collaborations are his screen feet, wall sconces, outdoor furniture for gardens, an extensive collection of knobs and handles. The decoration of these elements or the final finishing was always done in the workshop. He carried out combinations of great beauty: stone, marble -Torra Passani was the main supplier- mosaic, in collaboration with Bru, glass, Granell, enamel, Morató, lacquers. Over the course of his 50-year career, he transformed a hundred private homes into modern dwellings, often ahead of their time. His personal stamp impregnated every corner of the home: he distributed spaces, designed the furniture and decided even the smallest decorative detail.