Władysław WOŁKOWSKI (1902-1986), Pair of wicker armchairs - Bear type,

Poland, 1960s.
Barked wicker armchairs with a conch back transitioning into a seat, supported on a footrest of black painted metal tubes. Seat structure built of thick wicker rods forming two oval frames of the backrest and the circular frame of the seat, filled vertically with arched wicker rods, slightly thinner than the frame rods, and overlaid densely vertically with thin rods, cross-tied to them with wicker tape. The metal footstool is built from a circular frame, to which legs were welded, spreading out to the sides, the front ones connected and forming an inverted V. The ends of the tubes at the bottom of the legs were secured with rubber feet. The circular frame of the seat was fastened across with a thick bar to expand the shape and hold it. It was inserted inside the metal frame and held in place with several metal clamps. The oval backrest frame, on the other hand, was applied from the front of the chair deeper into the footrest, and the rods forming the seat surface flowed down with the frame, obscuring the metal structure on the sides, as well as being tucked under the seat frame so as to further stabilize the wicker structure. A fragment of the backrest frame passing from the front under the front legs, binds them together and forms their link. Construction - wicker, steel; 76 x 53 x 65.5 cm.
In 1954, Wladyslaw Wolkowski, the undisputed master of Polish postwar wickerwork, designed and made an armchair from wicker rods with a conch back passing into a seat, the weave of which flowed down to the legs, named "Bear." The artist designed several other versions of this model in later years, which became one of his most recognizable designs. It is an excellent design in terms of thinking about wicker furniture design. All the elements of the wicker structure and the metal supporting it have been thought out to both emphasize the natural qualities of wicker, which is a flexible and pliable material, and to provide an excellent design solution. No element and its arrangement is random in this model, and in addition to its structural properties, it is also decorative. The wicker structure from the front and back is a similar oval form, at the same time it is aerodynamic, streamlined, and thus constantly modern. The whole thing besides makes an impression and is light, transparent.
The presented seats with metal footrests were probably made around 1965. The seats provide comfort; preserved in very good condition.