A carpenter from Esperanza builds the armchair Pope Leo XIV will use in Luján
I read a story about Enrique Mehring, a carpenter from Esperanza in Santa Fe province, who is working against the clock on an armchair for Pope Leo XIV. It will be used at Mass in the Basilica of Luján during the pope’s visit to Argentina on November 8.
The commission came through friends in Luján, and he began building it about two weeks ago. His only references were a single photograph and a few measurements; the photo was just illustrative, to see whether he could make something similar. “I made it as I went, building as I did things,” he said. I think that is a good description of how a skilled carpenter works: solving on the spot what the drawing doesn’t say.
The piece is 1.25 metres tall, made from guatambú and paraíso wood, with a handcrafted Nordic-style design. It will be upholstered in white corduroy and finished with gold details. The frame is already done; the lacquer, upholstery and final details remain, and Enrique is confident he will be on time.
Enrique usually designs and builds chairs, armchairs and tables, so the job was not especially complex for him. What moves him most is the thought that a piece made in Esperanza will stay in Argentina as a keepsake of the visit. The company he works for, moreover, has a 74-year history.
Source: TN
The commission came through friends in Luján, and he began building it about two weeks ago. His only references were a single photograph and a few measurements; the photo was just illustrative, to see whether he could make something similar. “I made it as I went, building as I did things,” he said. I think that is a good description of how a skilled carpenter works: solving on the spot what the drawing doesn’t say.
The piece is 1.25 metres tall, made from guatambú and paraíso wood, with a handcrafted Nordic-style design. It will be upholstered in white corduroy and finished with gold details. The frame is already done; the lacquer, upholstery and final details remain, and Enrique is confident he will be on time.
Enrique usually designs and builds chairs, armchairs and tables, so the job was not especially complex for him. What moves him most is the thought that a piece made in Esperanza will stay in Argentina as a keepsake of the visit. The company he works for, moreover, has a 74-year history.
Source: TN
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