“The function of art,” the Surrealist Roberto Matta once stated, “is to unveil the enormous economic, cultural and emotional forces that materially interact in our lives and that constitute the real space in which we live.” In his paintings, Matta sought to expose those forces through the Surrealist practice of automatism, creating work in a free-associative state intended to conjure the unconscious.
After studying architecture in his native Chile, Matta, then 22, chose to pursue the field in Paris, where he mingled with stars of the avant-garde like Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dalí and Walter Gropius. In the late 1930s, he abandoned Paris, together with his job at Le Corbusier’s studio and (for a time) his career, for modern art’s new epicenter, New York City. There, he became a colleague of art legends like Marcel Duchamp and Arshile Gorky.
Although celebrated primarily for his work as a painter, Matta was an equally talented furniture designer. His furniture pieces, like his artworks, are the stuff of dreams. The back of his totem chair, for example, is composed of smiling, cartoonish creatures stacked on top of each other. In his MAgriTTA armchair, the top half of a plush green apple sticks out of large black bowler in homage to its namesake, the Belgian Surrealist René Magritte.
But perhaps the piece that most truly embodies his artistic philosophy is his 1966 Mallite modular system: a collection of spongy, undulating sofas and lounges that can be fitted together to form a puzzle-like room divider. The work, an original edition of which is in MoMA’s permanent collection, has in recent decades been a hard-to-find collectors’ item — until 2019, when Italian design brand Paradisoterrestre issued a reedition, available through Duplex.
Browse Roberto Matta's paintings and furniture designs on 1stDibs.
Matta.Entretiens... - Rare Book illustrated by Roberto Matta - 1987
By Roberto Matta
Located in Roma, IT
G. Ferrari, Matta. Entretiens Morphologiques. Notebook N°1, 1936-1944 , First Edition, Sistan, London 1987. In this book, there is an original lithograph by Matta, hand-signed and n...
Paper
Return of the Jedi 1983 Original Vintage Poster
Located in London, GB
Return of the Jedi 1983 Original Vintage Poster measures 27×41" inches / 68 x 104 cm unfolded rolled excellent condition Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VI ...
Paper, C Print
$150
H 14 in W 12 in D 2 in
Francisco Zuñiga Artist Monograph - 1st Misrachi Art Gallery Edition
By Francisco Zúñiga
Located in Pasadena, CA
Beautiful and rare Book of Francisco Zuñiga Artist Monograph, 1st Misrachi Art Gallery Edition, 1980 Text in Spanish and English. 317 pages with 355 plat...
Photographic Paper
English Modern Geometric Collage Blues, Greens, and Yellows
Located in Houston, TX
Abstract modern collage of geometric shapes in blues, greens, and yellows, by artist Spe, 2000's. Signed. Displayed in a white mat with a gold border and fits a standard-size frame. ...
Paper
$4,083
H 11.74 in W 9.77 in
Alain Ramié, Pablo Picasso, Catalogue of the Edited Ceramic Works, 1947-1971
By Pablo Picasso
Located in OPOLE, PL
Alain Ramié, Pablo Picasso, Catalogue of the Edited Ceramic Works, 1947-1971 is the complete catalogue raisonné of Picasso's ceramic editions, in English. Published in Paris in 1988...
Paper
$900
H 11 in W 10.5 in D 1 in
Landscape, Etching on Paper by Indian Modern Artist Suhas Roy "In Stock"
By Suhas Roy
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Suhas Roy - Landscape AP - 19/12 Etching on Paper 11 x 10.5 inches, 1985 ( Unframed & Delivered ) Style : He is one of the biggest and the most enduring names in the genre of Indian...
Paper, Etching
English Modern Geometric Collage Purple, Gold, and Beige
Located in Houston, TX
Abstract modern collage of long geometric shapes in blue, brown, and beige, by artist Spe, 2000's . Signed. Displayed in a white mat with a gold border and fits a standard-size frame...
Paper
THE THRONES OF MYSTERY - Von Arx lithographic poster, 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Von Arx (Charles A. Nicol) was Great Nicholas' brother and himself a successful performer. Not wanting to exploit his brother Will's stage name, he used several stage names. Both Cha...
Paper, Lithograph
New Robe
By Roman ZASLONOV
Located in Atlanta, GA
Roman Zaslonov is a Russian Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1962. Roman Zaslonov's work has been offered at auction multiple times. Only o...
Paper, Engraving
$618
H 27.56 in W 19.69 in D 0.79 in
THE ELEPHANT WHO DISAPPEARS - Lithographic poster by Carter the Great, 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
This is a poster reproducing the incredible 1920s magic poster for Carter the Great. The issue in question, titled "The Disappearing Sacred Elephant," is rendered in incredible detai...
Paper, Lithograph
King of Pop II (Limited Edition Print)
By Mauro Oliveira
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Celebrating the King of Pop Michael Jackson by Mauro Oliveira. The colorful pinstripes represent the music and the happiness the King of Pop brought to the world. Limited edition of...
Giclée, Paper
King of Pop I (Limited Edition Print)
By Mauro Oliveira
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Celebrating the King of Pop Michael Jackson by Mauro Oliveira. The colorful pinstripes represent the music and the happiness the King of Pop brought to the world. Limited edition of...
Paper, Giclée
SIM SALA BIM - Lithographic poster of Dante the Great, 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
This poster was used to advertise Dante's magic show at the NixonTheatre Pittsburgh. Dante (1883-1955) was born in Denmark to Harry August Jansen. He emigrated to the United States a...
Paper, Lithograph
Sold
H 9.18 in W 7.13 in D 0.12 in
Rare Vintage Exhibition Leaflet - R.S. Matta - Galerie di Dragon - 1958
By Roberto Matta
Located in Roma, IT
Exhibition Leaflet is an original rare vintage catalogue by the Chilean artist Roberto Sebastián Matta (1911-2002). This color artwork is the rare exhibition leaflet realized in occ...
Paper