Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Chest of Drawers in Walnut Leather

Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 'Artona' chest of drawers, walnut, brass, leather, ebony, Italy, 1975/1979

This piece of furniture is part of the Artona line by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. The front is executed in a delicate cognac brown leather. Functionality comes into play through the availability of great amount of storage space created by eight extended drawers equipped with round brass knobs. The hallmark of the 'Artona' line is evident in the top and sides of this piece, where dynamic lines imbue it with a sense of movement and vitality. The wood used in its construction boasts a pronounced texture, highlighting the expressive grains and varied tones that lend it a natural and organic allure. Casters underneath the corpus allow for easy movement.

The ‘Artona’ line by the Scarpa duo was in fact the first line ever produced by Maxalto, the specialist division of B&B Italia. Maxalto was originally set up in 1975 as a high-end division of B&B Italia to focus exclusively on the production of artisanal, mostly wood furniture. The ‘Artona’ was their first project and also functions as a counter-message against the common prevailing use of plastics in furniture design during the Postwar period.

Afra (1937-2011) & Tobia (1935-) Scarpa are a duo of Italian architects and designers mostly known for their postmodern style. Afra Bianchin was born in 1937 in Montebelluna while Tobia Scarpa, son of the architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in 1935 in Venice. The couple met when they were both studying at the Venice Institute of Architecture and married afterwards. From 1957 until 1961, Tobia worked as a glass designer at the Murano glassworks of Venini. However, in 1960, the duo started to collaborate, and they set up one of the most successful and well-known professional studios. Together, they worked for companies such as Flos Gavina, B&B Italia, and Knoll. The couple won numerous amounts of awards like the Compasso d’Oro and the International Forum Design. Throughout their career, the duo carried out commissions for well-known companies, including Benetton. Overall, their designs are known for their modernist aesthetic, prioritizing elegance and comfort. However, at the same time, their pieces are admired for the ease with which they lean towards classical designs. Moreover, the creations show their deep understanding for materials. Today, many of their works can be found in major museums such as Museum of Mod­ern Art of New York, Musée du Lou­vre, National Museum of Design New York and many more.

Kindly note that the piece is in good, used condition with signs of use, including scratches and marks. Restoration is possible before shipping by our experienced craftspeople in our own in-house restoration atelier. With high attention for the original, they make sure every piece retains its value and is ready for the many years to come. We kindly ask you to contact our design experts for further information about the endless possibilities our restoration and upholstery atelier has to offer. Of course, a locally organized restoration is possible as well.

VAT within the EU: When buying or delivering an item within the EU, VAT usually applies and will be added.