Marco Lodola

Known for its collaborations with some of the world’s most important artists, sculptors and designers, Italian furniture manufacturer Mirabili produces high-quality pieces that not only prioritize function but are also expressive objets d’art that are demonstrative of the company’s clear creative vision. 

Famed Italian entrepreneur Sergio Cammilli (1920–2001), founder of radical modernist furniture company Poltronova in 1956, came up with an idea to focus on creating a collection of “usable furniture art” designed by notable architects and artists. In 1986, Cammilli’s vision was realized when he established Mirabili. He once explained that the company was a consortium of “well-known artists and designers selected for their particular gifts and their poetic world, lending an innovative and sensitive contribution to the cultural image of the habitat as ‘Art of Living.’”

Over the past few decades, Mirabili has attracted high-profile designers to create an eclectic range of pieces. For instance, the headboard of Italian multidisciplinary artist Luigi Ontani’s Heliondimio bed comprises a colossal carved wooden sun that is finished with gold leaf and “meets the gaze” of the carved crescent moon sculpture that appears on the foot of the structure. Other distinguished pieces include the leaf-like Foglia chair by Fabrizio Corneli, the TOTEM Clair de Lune sculpture by Ettore Sottsass, Carla Tolomeo’s Black Half-Moon silk and velvet sofa and Marco Lodola’s “playing card” contemporary art wall sculptures.

In 2002, Formitalia Luxury Group acquired Mirabili (now known as Mirabili Arte d'Abitare).

Mirabili has regularly exhibited at numerous art shows and fairs throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. 

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Mirabili decorative objects, wall decorations and seating.

Arguably the world’s most ubiquitous man-made material, plastic has impacted nearly every industry. In contemporary spaces, new and vintage plastic furniture is quite popular and its use pairs well with a range of design styles.

From the Italian lighting artisans at Fontana Arte to venturesome Scandinavian modernists such as Verner Panton, who created groundbreaking interiors as much as he did seating — see his revolutionary Panton chair — to contemporary multidisciplinary artists like Faye Toogood, furniture designers have been pushing the boundaries of plastic forever.

When The Graduate's Mr. McGuire proclaimed, “There’s a great future in plastics,” it was more than a laugh line. The iconic quote is an allusion both to society’s reliance on and its love affair with plastic. Before the material became an integral part of our lives — used in everything from clothing to storage to beauty and beyond — people relied on earthly elements for manufacturing, a process as time-consuming as it was costly.

Soon after American inventor John Wesley Hyatt created celluloid, which could mimic luxury products like tortoiseshell and ivory, production hit fever pitch, and the floodgates opened for others to explore plastic’s full potential. The material altered the history of design — mid-century modern legends Charles and Ray Eames, Joe Colombo and Eero Saarinen regularly experimented with plastics in the development of tables and chairs, and today plastic furnishings and decorative objects are seen as often indoors as they are outside.

Find vintage plastic lounge chairs, outdoor furniture, lighting and more on 1stDibs.

Figurative sculpture is a modern art form in which artists create work that is typically representative of the visible world. However, sculptures that are considered to be figurative in style can definitely be inclusive of abstract elements. A wide range of antique, new and vintage figurative sculptures has been made over the years by both well-known and emerging artists, and these pieces can prove striking and provocative as part of your home decor.

Realistic representation in visual art has a very long history. And while figurative artists, whether figurative painters or sculptors, find inspiration in humans, animals and real-life objects, good figurative sculptures can make us think differently about how the real world should look. Just as figurative paintings might include Photorealistic human likenesses, they can also include elements of Surrealism and can suggest a creative and alternative reality. Figurative sculptures aren’t always realistic impressions of our world — depictions of the human form in classical Greek sculpture, for example, might emphasize beauty and physical perfection.

There are a variety of figurative sculptures on 1stDibs created by artists working in a number of styles, including Art Deco, Art Nouveau, mid-century modern and more. A large figurative sculpture can introduce an excellent focal point in a guest bedroom, while smaller works might draw the eye to spaces such as wall shelving or a bookcase that people may otherwise overlook.

When decorating your living room, dining room, home office and study areas with figurative sculptures, don’t be afraid to choose bold colors to inject brightness into neutral spaces. Texture is another factor to consider when purchasing figurative sculptures. A highly textural work of ceramics or wood will catch the eye in a sleek modern space, whereas a smooth, flat glass sculpture can offer an often much-needed contrast in a room that already has many textures.

On 1stDibs, find antique, new or vintage figurative sculpture or other kinds of sculpture for your home decor today.