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.
Pair of solid wood stools by Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, Italy
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in Argelato, BO
Rare pair of solid wood stools by Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, Italy, 1970s. These are sculptural works, created by one of the most sophisticated Italian manufacturers...
Wood
Giuseppe Rivadossi Set of Two Stools in Oak Wood by Officina Rivadossi 1970s
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Set of two stools in oak wood designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, 1970ca. These rare stools have a peculiar structure with visible interlocks that join each compo...
Oak
Pair of Compas Wood Counter Stools, Italy
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Jean Prouvé
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Pair of compas counter stools or high chairs, wood and rope. In the mood of Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, Le Corbusier, Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Gio Ponti, Osvaldo Borsani.
Wood, Rope
$5,779 / set
H 39.38 in W 16.93 in D 19.69 in
Six High-Back Dining Chairs in the Style of Giuseppe Rivadossi, Italy
By Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Hellouw, NL
Introducing a sculptural set of six high-back dining chairs, reminiscent of the raw elegance often found in Italian Brutalism. Executed in the style of Giuseppe Rivadossi, these chai...
Wood
$3,082 / set
H 20.48 in W 20.48 in D 16.54 in
Giuseppe Pagano Pair of Italian Oak and Woven Rope Stools, Italy, 1940s
By Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous and unique pair of stools entirely crafted in solid oak and completed by beautifully hand-woven rope seats. These refined stools were designed by the mastery of Giuseppe Pa...
Rope, Wood, Oak
$2,116 / set
H 17.72 in W 18.9 in D 18.9 in
Set of two Stools Plywood designed by Gerd Lange for Thonet, 1970s
By Gerd Lange, Thonet
Located in Antwerp, BE
Set of 2 stools designed by Gerd Lange. Gerd Lange is one of the most influential German furniture designers of the 1970s and 1980s. He was known for his extremely down-to-earth, fun...
Metal
$16,953 / set
H 33.47 in W 19.3 in D 17.72 in
Set of Eight Rivadossi Dining Chairs with Carved Backrests in Slavonian Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Hellouw, NL
A set of eight Rivadossi chairs, crafted in Slavonian oak during the 1970s, showcasing an impressive patina that speaks to their history. These pieces embody a unique balance between...
Oak
Unique Brutalist Solid Wood Stool, 1970's
Located in Bern, CH
1970's Brutalist Solid Wood Stool created by a woodworker from the renowned wood carving town of Brienz in Switzerland. Constructed from stacked split tree sliced with a tanned vinyl...
Wood
$2,963 / set
H 18.51 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Rare Pair of Stools by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig for Gino Maggioni, Italy 40s
By Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, Gino Maggioni
Located in Lucija, SI
Rare pair of "Rationalist" stools designed by the Italian architect Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig in the Art Decò period and made by the Maggioni factory. These stools with an elegant ...
Rope, Plywood
Set of 3 1970s Scandinavian Pine Stools
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Nice set of 3 Scandinavian modernist stools. These stools are the perfect example of organic modern. The warm pine wood angularly crafted gives them an edgy appeal that still feel ...
Pine
Comacina Armchair by Giuseppe Rivadossi
By Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Milan, IT
A testament to contemporary sculptural design, this armchair boasts a monolithic silhouette made of vertical wooden fibers, chiseled and finished by hand with a planer. Displaying a ...
Wood
$12,700 / set
H 32.09 in W 19.69 in D 18.71 in
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Set of Six Dining Chairs in Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, set of six dining chairs, oak, Italy, 1970s An exceptional set of chairs by the Italian sculptor and designer Giuseppe Rivadossi. The chai...
Oak
Spanish Milk Stool Brutalist Tripod Stool Solid Wood
Located in Poperinge, BE
Nice Spanish solid wood milk stool, authentic tripod stool in the typical Brutalist style, the seat is shaped like a horseshoe and is covered with animal hair, marked “Made in Spain”...
Wood
$2,200
H 35.04 in W 20.67 in D 20.48 in
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Chair in Walnut
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, dining chair, walnut, leather, Italy, 1970s An exceptional chair by the Italian sculptor and designer Giuseppe Rivadossi, featuring a high...
Leather, Walnut