Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife team Afra and Tobia Scarpa (1937–2011; b. 1935) collaboratively created chairs, sofas and other furniture that work equally well in both traditional and cutting-edge environments.
Ranging from architecture and interior design to furniture and clothing, the Scarpas’ practice from its beginnings in the mid-1950s to the 21st century has included a diverse scope of projects combining new technology with thoughtful function and sculptural yet simple forms.
Afra Bianchin and Tobia Scarpa met as architecture students at the Università Iuav di Venezia. In a class led by architect and furniture designer Franco Albini, they created their first collaborative piece, the Pigreco armchair, later produced with Gavina. After graduating in 1957, Tobia worked for Murano glass company Venini & Co. before the couple opened a studio in Afra’s hometown, Montebelluna, in 1960. (Tobia, the son of famed glass artist and architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in Venice.)
For Afra and Tobia, a close collaborative process was pivotal to the success of their designs. The duo was also prolific — they designed for the most influential European manufacturers, including B&B Italia, Cassina, Knoll and FLOS. With respect to the latter, Afra and Tobia were among the legendary Italian lighting maker’s earliest collaborators, and their pioneering designs for the brand included the Papillon lamp, one of the first fixtures to use halogen technology. Their most recognized designs include the Bastiano sofa (1962), the Vanessa bed (1959), the Coronado sofa (1966) and the Soriana seating collection (1970). Work on the Soriana sofa began in late 1969 for an early 1970 debut, and it feels as radical today as it did in its heyday.
Architecture was also a central part of Afra and Tobia’s practice, which spanned residential buildings and factories for Italian companies such as Benetton. Their commissions for the global fashion brand included numerous industrial projects, from textile plants to storefronts. By 1985, Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work was celebrated in a 30-year retrospective at Center Four in Queens, New York. Looking around the 30,000-square-foot exhibition space, Afra joked to the New York Times, “Seeing all those things makes us feel very tired, and now we feel that maybe we worked too much.”
It was not too much for their legacy, as Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work continues to inspire new generations. Scarpa designs are in collections at the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The couple was awarded the Compasso d’Oro in 1970 for the Soriana armchair.
Find vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa lounge chairs, dining chairs, floor lamps and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Wood, Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Walnut
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Ebony, Walnut, Burl
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Walnut
Late 20th Century Georgian Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Mahogany
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Glass, Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Walnut
1850s French Louis Philippe Antique Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Crystal
1970s European Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Wood
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Afra & Tobia Scarpa Furniture
Wood
Afra & Tobia Scarpa furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Afra & Tobia Scarpa
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 6, 2024Yes, Tobia Scarpa is related to Carlo Scarpa. A well-known architect and designer in his own right, Tobia is the son of the legendary architect Carlo Scarpa. Tobia studied architecture at the Università Iuav di Venezia in Venice, where he met designer Afra Bianchin, who would become his wife and long-time collaborator. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Tobia Scarpa furniture.