Joseph Savina
Encyclopedia
Joseph Savina, was a Breton woodworker, cabinet maker
and sculptor who was a member of the art movement Seiz Breur
. He collaborated with Le Corbusier
on several projects, and sought to revitalise Breton furniture design. He ran a workshop in Tréguier
.
(Best Craftsman of France) competition. He organized his own design studio in 1929, situated in the rue Saint-André in Tréguier. His early works were mainly statuettes depicting fishermen and restoration work on the carvings in the city's cathedral. He later sought to modernize Celtic traditions, introducing Celtic knot
patterns into his work.
He joined the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur, which was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement
, becoming its principal woodworker. He insisted that "plastic work is the basis of architectural work" and was an ardent defender of Breton folk art.
Under Corbusier's influence Savina made a number of abstract sculptures. Corbusier wrote to Savina of these works: "Your works are just the right size; art for the apartment; art for the loving collector". He added that "this type of sculpture comes into what I call the plastic-acoustic: that is to say forms that both speak and listen.
Savina ran his workshop until 1970, when he retired and passed it to his protegé Michel Le Calvez. The Lycée Joseph Savina in Tréguier is named for him.
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
and sculptor who was a member of the art movement Seiz Breur
Seiz Breur
Seiz Breur was an artistic movement founded in 1923 in Brittany. Although it adopted the symbolic name seiz breur, meaning seven brothers in the Breton language, this did not refer to the number of members, but to the title of a folk-story...
. He collaborated with Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
on several projects, and sought to revitalise Breton furniture design. He ran a workshop in Tréguier
Tréguier
Tréguier is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is the capital of the province of Trégor.-Geography:Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc by road. The port is situated about 5½ m...
.
Early life
Savina was born in Douarnenez. Both his father and brother were cabinetmakers, and Savina was apprenticed in the trade at Tréguier, learning carpentry and carving. He soon progressed to become foreman of the workshop. In 1927, having graduated as a fully trained cabinetmaker, he won the national Meilleur Ouvrier de FranceMeilleur Ouvrier de France
"Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France" is a craftsmen competition, held every four years.The title of Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France is a unique award in France according to category of trades in a contest between professionals. This contest is organized and recognized as a third-level degree...
(Best Craftsman of France) competition. He organized his own design studio in 1929, situated in the rue Saint-André in Tréguier. His early works were mainly statuettes depicting fishermen and restoration work on the carvings in the city's cathedral. He later sought to modernize Celtic traditions, introducing Celtic knot
Celtic knot
Celtic knots are a variety of knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, used extensively in the Celtic style of Insular art. These knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts, such as the 8th-century...
patterns into his work.
He joined the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur, which was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, becoming its principal woodworker. He insisted that "plastic work is the basis of architectural work" and was an ardent defender of Breton folk art.
Collaboration with Le Corbusier
He first met Le Corbusier in 1935, leading to a long friendship based on respect and mutual admiration. The two regularly exchanged ideas, and Corbusier expressed admiration for the "sense of plasticity" in Savina's work. Savina executed carvings from Corbusier's drawings.Under Corbusier's influence Savina made a number of abstract sculptures. Corbusier wrote to Savina of these works: "Your works are just the right size; art for the apartment; art for the loving collector". He added that "this type of sculpture comes into what I call the plastic-acoustic: that is to say forms that both speak and listen.
Savina ran his workshop until 1970, when he retired and passed it to his protegé Michel Le Calvez. The Lycée Joseph Savina in Tréguier is named for him.