Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
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.
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 Scarpa 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.)
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.
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 Tobia Scarpa table lamps, sofas, dining chairs and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum, Steel, Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum, Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Opaline Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Brass, Steel
1980s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Resin
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Plastic
1960s European Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Carrara Marble
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Resin
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Brass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Aluminum
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tobia Scarpa Lanterns
Iron
Tobia Scarpa lanterns for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to 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.