Bits Of Maple Wall Cabinet

Bits of Maple Wall Cabinet (1962)

Maple.
32-1/4" (H) x 8-1/4" (W) x 5-1/8" (D)

This is Krenov’s “Bits of Maple Wall Cabinet,” made in his basement workshop in Stockholm in 1962. Both the carcase, door and “bits” are made in maple, and its interior is painted with green oil paint.

It is a great example of both his use of the wall cabinet form, which made up a majority of his early work, and is atypical in its more sculptural approach to composition with its use of several small pieces of maple, bearing different textures and abstract forms, which are suspended in the cabinet’s door. Also atypical for his work, the painted interior is a detail Krenov returned to only a few times through his career.

While furniture historians often note Krenov’s penchant for sticking to a particular aesthetic and form, this early piece is demonstrative of his proclivity for experimentation and the exploration of new ideas. There appears to be a certain regularity of more experimental or unique pieces in Krenov’s output over the decades, which included forays into bent laminations, parquetry, inlay or clocks.

At just over 8 inches wide and 5 inches deep, it is a small piece, but presents those items displayed on its shelves in a unique and playful manner – instead of a fully opaque wooden door, or a glass showcase door, the objects inside are partially visible through the “bits.”