Brass Coffee Table with Cranes and Bonsai by Willy Daro, Belgium, circa 1970

This exceptional coffee table presents a sculptural base formed by a cluster of cranes gathered around a delicately rendered bonsai tree, the whole cast in richly patinated brass. The birds are depicted in naturalistic attitudes — their long necks arched, their wings slightly raised — creating a dynamic composition that simultaneously serves as the structural support for the circular transparent glass top. The piece occupies a fascinating intersection between decorative sculpture and functional furniture, characteristic of the most inventive Belgian craftsmanship of the 1970s.

Willy Daro (1917–1988) was a Brussels-based sculptor who achieved widespread recognition for his figurative brass furniture. Working in the tradition of Art Nouveau bronze-making while embracing the freedom of mid-century design, he created tables, floor lamps, and objets d’art featuring birds, fish, and other natural subjects rendered with remarkable anatomical precision. His work was eagerly collected by a sophisticated European clientele in search of pieces that transcended the ordinary, and examples from his workshop now appear regularly at international auction houses. This bonsai-and-crane table represents one of his most poetic motifs, drawing on the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi to create a composition of restrained elegance.

Presented in very good vintage condition, consistent with its age and provenance. Diam. 70 cm × H. 48 cm.