Serving Tray in Hardwood, Jean Gillon, 1960s

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Designed by Jean Gillon for WoodArt and produced in Brazil in the 1960s, this serving tray reflects the designer’s commitment … Read more Designed by Jean Gillon for WoodArt and produced in Brazil in the 1960s, this serving tray reflects the designer’s commitment to sculptural clarity and material expression. Created during a period when Brazilian modernism was consolidating its international presence, the piece distills utility into a disciplined, architectonic form.

Rectilinear in proportion, the tray is defined by a recessed central field framed by subtly raised edges. Integrated carved handles emerge seamlessly from the sides, shaped through controlled curvature rather than applied ornament. The silhouette remains restrained, allowing proportion and surface to articulate the design. This quiet formal resolution is characteristic of Gillon’s work, where structure and gesture are unified.

Executed in solid jacarandá (Brazilian rosewood), the tray foregrounds material integrity. The wood’s dense structure and naturally varied grain create tonal movement across the surface, ranging from deep umber to near-ebony striations. The recent refinishing has been undertaken with restraint, preserving the depth and figure of the rosewood while maintaining the crispness of its carved edges. See less