Vintage stainless steel and brass coffee table by Jean Claude Dresse, Belgium 1970

Impressive brushed stainless steel and brass square coffee table, designed and signed by Jean Claude Dresse, Belgium, circa 1970. An extraordinary piece, crafted with great eye for proportions and detail, typical for the work of Dresse. The combination of materials such as steel and brass, have a formal yet luxurious character that emphasizes the rich appearance. The tabletop is inlayed with a unique detailed patterned mosaic composition of inlayed stainless steel and brass with a fantastic performance. The use of the same stainless-steel base makes the design a whole and creates an interesting lightness to the total look of the table. Jean Claude Dresse (1946) is a Belgian artist and designer. He graduated from the art academy in Charleroi. His interest in the visual art is clearly visible in his furniture designs as he uses artistic techniques such as mosaic and etchings. He makes use of precious metals such as brass and copper. Together with his father he was a prominent figure in the furniture business in the 1980s and he belongs to the artistic Walloon school that focussed on glamorous esthetics. When his father died and the market was more difficult, he could not continue to make the furniture on his own so he became a visual artist. In the 1970s a trend of decorative arts arised in Brussels. Key-designers were Aldo Chale, Georges Mathias, Willy Daro and Lova Creation. Their style was characterized by the use of gemstones as decorative element and the use of gold as primary color. The classical technique of etching was highly applied on their designs for coffee and cocktail tables. Reference : 262747