Officina Rivadossi Benches
Italian sculptor, furniture designer and maestro d’arte e mestiere (master of art and craft) Giuseppe Rivadossi is considered one of the 20th century’s leading woodworkers. His hand-carved, mid-century modern furniture — as well as the work of Officina Rivadossi, the firm he cofounded — has been described as poetic, ancient, ethereal and soulful.
Rivadossi was born in 1935 in Monteclana di Nave, where he still lives and works today. He began woodworking at an early age, learning the craft from his father, who founded a carpentry business in 1920. In 1962, Rivadossi took over his father’s workshop and transformed it into an artistic atelier, creating sculptural furniture and objets d’art.
Toward the late 1960s, Rivadossi’s friends and fellow woodworking artists encouraged him to exhibit his wooden sculptures at shows throughout Italy. In 1968, he participated in his first sculpture exhibition, which led to others throughout the 1970s, such as the Triennale di Milano in 1974 and the Biennale di Mentone in 1976. That same year, Rivadossi and several collaborators established Officina Rivadossi, which specialized in wooden objects, sculptures and modern furniture. Pieces included walnut dining room tables, oak sideboards and architectonic dining chairs and armchairs suitable for the home or office.
From the 1980s through the 2000s, Rivadossi’s designs took on a more organic, architectural approach. For instance, his Custodia Lombarda cabinet comprises two doors with hand-carved latticework that gradually reduces size. His decorative boxes with grooved textures, geometric patterns and curved forms also double as desktop sculptures.
In 2013, Officina Rivadossi evolved to become Habito di Giuseppe Rivadossi, which Rivadossi runs with his two sons Emanuele and Clemente. Since then, the furniture firm has shown at numerous exhibitions, including Salone del Mobile di Milano, the London Design Festival, PAD Paris and BRAFA Art Fair, in Brussels. Also, in 2018, Rivadossi received the prestigious Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere award at the Triennale di Milano.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage and contemporary Officina Rivadossi case pieces, tables and dining chairs.
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Officina Rivadossi Benches
Wood, Oak
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Officina Rivadossi Benches
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Officina Rivadossi Benches
Leather, Wood, Oak
Late 19th Century Peruvian Spanish Colonial Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Jacobean Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Oak
19th Century French Gothic Revival Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Oak
1890s Spanish Renaissance Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Officina Rivadossi Benches
Brass
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Walnut
Late 19th Century Hungarian Folk Art Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Pine
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Folk Art Antique Officina Rivadossi Benches
Pine
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Officina Rivadossi Benches
Aluminum, Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Officina Rivadossi Benches
Wood, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Officina Rivadossi Benches
Leather, Wood, Oak