Janko Stele had made contacts with Jože Plečnik through the Franciscan friar, Martin Perc. France Stele, art historian, academician, and cousin of Janko Stele was Plečnik’s friend, as well.
In 1950, the Stele family asked Plečnik to design the furnishings for their living room. The designs were realized gradually. Plečnik made a design for four chairs, a chandelier, a table, and a candelabrum. The furniture was made by master carpenter Franc Koncilja from Mekinje. It was agreed that, after the completion of the first part of the furniture, Plečnik would draw designs for the rest of the furniture for the room as well, but due to complexity of work, the execution was delayed. The architect’s illness and his death prevented the work from being completed. Tone Stele, a son of Janko Stele, explained the nature of the collaboration with Jože Plečnik.
The furniture is made of walnut wood. Every chair back has a different motif, loaded with symbolism – a rosary, a vine, an ear of wheat and bread. A special patent provides that the square table can be extended, to double in size. According to the carpenter, Franc Koncilja, the wooden chandelier was one of the most demanding of the architect’s chandeliers to make. In 1952, in honor of the 25th anniversary of Matilda in Janko Stele, the architect made a design for two meter high chandelier, with the initials of spouses’ name and surname, and nine thorns to symbolize their nine children. For “lectarija” Stele – a candlemaker and lect (a kind of decorative honey bread) maker – Plečnik also drew designers for the decoration of colored candles with a motif of honey bread.
Information courtesy of:
Tone Stele, Kamnik.
