Joan Busquets

JOAN BUSQUETS I JANÉ (Barcelona, 1874 - 1949).
Modernist desk-secretory, ca. 1900-1910.
Walnut, mahogany, Hungarian ash, marquetry of 15 fruitwoods and mother-of-pearl. Use marks. Faults. Needs restoration.
No key.
Needs restoration.
Measurements: 155 x 86 x 40 cm (closed). 155 x 86 x 90 cm (open).

Representative piece of Catalan modernist furniture, in which functionality, design and refined craftsmanship are integrated in an exemplary way. Made of walnut wood, with fruit wood marquetry and mother-of-pearl applications, the piece of furniture shows the technical and aesthetic excellence characteristic of Joan Busquets' workshop.

The structure is slender and balanced, organized in two bodies. The upper one has a hinged lid that, when opened, gives access to shelves and interior compartments, conceived for the practical use of the desk. The front of this top is richly decorated with a central marquetry panel with a symmetrical design and stylized vegetal motifs, framed by delicate geometric inlays that add rhythm and elegance to the whole.

The curved lines, symmetry and careful proportion of the elements reflect the influence of Art Nouveau and reinterpreted historicism, fundamental features of Barcelona Modernism.

The desk responds to the modernist conception of furniture as a total work of art, where structure and ornamentation are inseparable. The combination of noble materials, the precision of the inlays and the balance between utility and beauty make this piece an outstanding example of furniture for the Catalan bourgeoisie of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Works by Busquets can currently be found in the National Art Museum of Catalonia, the Güell Palace in Barcelona, the National Museum of Decorative Arts and the Museum of Catalan Modernism in Barcelona, among others, as well as in several important private collections.