ticketsMember | Make a donation

"Pianissimo"

Designer Séraphin Soudbinine French
Designer Jean Dunand French, born Switzerland
1925–26
Not on view
Created for the music room of Solomon R. Guggenheim’s residence in Port Washington, Long Island, this screen and Fortissimo are an artistic collaboration between the designer Jean Dunand and the sculptor Séraphin Soudbinine. While Soudbinine conceived the composition and carved the bas-relief figures of otherworldly angels and rocklike forms, Dunand lacquered the screen. The titles are drawn from the Italian terms for very softly and very loudly played music. Guggenheim’s widow, Irene Rothschild, donated the screens to The Met following the death of her husband, a passionate collector of modern art and the namesake of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Pianissimo"
  • Designer: Séraphin Soudbinine (French (born Russia), Nijni- Novgorod 1870–1944)
  • Designer: Jean Dunand (French (born Switzerland), Lancy 1877–1942 Paris)
  • Date: 1925–26
  • Medium: Lacquered wood, eggshell, mother-of-pearl, gold
  • Dimensions: overall: 98 1/4 in. × 8 ft. 10 5/16 in. × 1 3/4 in. (249.5 × 270 × 4.5 cm)
  • Classification: Furniture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Solomon R. Guggenheim, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.102.3
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
"Fortissimo", Séraphin Soudbinine French, Lacquered wood, eggshell, mother-of-pearl, gold
"Fortissimo"
Séraphin Soudbinine
Jean Dunand
1925–26
Sculpture, Séraphin Soudbinine French, Stoneware
Sculpture
Séraphin Soudbinine
1928 ?
Mantle Clock, Joseph Garino French, Wood, brass
Mantle Clock
Joseph Garino
ca. 1902
Cabinet on Base, Charlotte Perriand French, Aluminum, pine and walnut
Cabinet on Base
Charlotte Perriand
ca. 1939
"History of Navigation" Mural, Jean Dupas French, Glass, paint, gold, silver, palladium leaf
"History of Navigation" Mural
Jean Dupas
Jacques-Charles Champigneulle
1934

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.