Artist: Harry Bertoia
Title: Table Tonal I
Year: 2015
Medium: Beryllium Copper and Brass
Dimensions: 11.75 × 6 × 6 in. (30 × 15 × 15 cm)
Edition: 89/100
Inscription: Impressed "Harry Bertoia 1915-2015 #89" on base
Documentation: Includes a gallery certificate of authenticity from Modern Artifact and a digital copy of a certificate of authenticity from Celia Bertoia
"Table Tonal I" (2015) by Harry Bertoia is a beryllium copper and brass sculpture that exemplifies the artist's innovative exploration of form and sound. The work is number 89 from a limited edition of 100, published by the Harry Bertoia Foundation. Each component is crafted with precision to highlight the material qualities of copper and brass, and the composition reflects Bertoia's longstanding interest in sonambient sculpture—a genre in which movement and interaction produce subtle auditory effects.
Harry Bertoia's artistic legacy is firmly established in the annals of modern art, with his works residing in several esteemed public collections. His sculptures, including the Table Tonal series, are part of the permanent collections at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Bertoia's prominence is not confined to private collections; his public commissions are integral to the American landscape. He created over 50 large-scale commissions, many of which remain in public spaces, allowing his innovative designs to engage with the public on a daily basis.
Created in 2015, the year marking Bertoia's 100th birthday, this sculpture reflects the artist's enduring commitment to his craft. Harry Bertoia "Table Tonal I" is impressed at its base with the artist's signature, year and edition number: "Harry Bertoia 1915–2015 #89". The work is accompanied by a digital copy of a certificate of authenticity from Celia Bertoia as well as a gallery certificate of authenticity from Modern Artifact.
About Harry Bertoia
Harry Bertoia (1915–1978) was an Italian-born American artist, sculptor, and designer renowned for his innovative contributions to modern sculpture and furniture design. Best known for his work in metal, Bertoia transformed simple industrial materials into elegant, organic forms, blending artistic vision with technical mastery. His career spanned sculpture, sound art, and design, leaving a lasting impact on 20th-century modernism.
Born in San Lorenzo, Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States with his family in 1930. He studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he trained under prominent designers and developed a keen interest in metalwork. At Cranbrook, he also collaborated with influential figures such as Charles and Ray Eames, and the school's modernist philosophy shaped his approach to form, material, and space.
Bertoia is perhaps best known to a broad audience for his furniture designs with Knoll, particularly the iconic Diamond Chair (1952), in which he transformed welded steel rods into lightweight, sculptural seating. These designs exemplify his ability to merge functional utility with aesthetic refinement. Beyond furniture, Bertoia devoted himself to sound and kinetic sculpture, creating metal "sonambient" works that produce subtle, resonant tones when touched or struck, further exploring the relationship between material, space, and perception.
His sculptures, often executed in bronze, steel, and wire, are characterized by fluid lines, organic forms, and a sense of movement and lightness. Bertoia's works have been exhibited in major institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. Public installations and monumental outdoor sculptures further showcase his capacity to transform space and engage viewers dynamically.
Harry Bertoia's legacy lies in his fusion of art, design, and sound. By challenging conventional boundaries between functional objects and fine art, he established a distinctive voice in modern sculpture and design, influencing generations of artists, designers, and collectors worldwide.
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