Sculptural Sofa by Xavier Mariscal, Spain, circa 1980

Javier Mariscal made a name for himself as a multidisciplinary creative — with such a fascinating range of projects under his belt, it would be difficult to confine him to labels such as artist, graphic designer or furniture maker. 

While Mariscal integrates generous portions of plastics, polished chrome and other manmade materials into the creation of his furniture and decor, his work is stylish and forward-looking in a manner that dispenses with the institutional look of synthetic design. Vintage Javier Mariscal stools, lighting and tables are playful and lively, and are demonstrative of venturesome experimentation with form. 

Born in Valencia, Spain, Mariscal attended the Elisava School in Barcelona in the 1970s to study design. He left school early, driven to learn from the world around him. His first major experience in real-world artistic pursuits was as an illustrator for a Spanish-language comic book in the mid-1970s. By 1979, Mariscal had shifted to product and furniture design. He created his distinctive chrome and leather Duplex stool that year, a piece that was manufactured by BD Barcelona Design for Bar Dúplex — a bar he co-owned and designed in his hometown. 

Throughout the 1980s, Mariscal created some variations of the Duplex stool, developed furniture for iconic postmodern design collaborative the Memphis Group and made a foray into textiles. He created a range of rug designs that culminated in an exhibition at the Vinçon salon in Barcelona and led to collaborations with legendary textiles brand nanimarquina, which was established by designer Nani Marquina in 1987.

In 1989, the International Olympic Committee chose Mariscal's entry Cobi — a mountain dog designed in the Cubist style — as the official mascot of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. To date, Cobi stands as one of the most recognizable Olympic mascots of all time.

Also in 1989, he opened his own studio — Estudio Mariscal. There he immersed himself in countless projects, collaborating with many notable names such as the famous Spanish architect Alfredo Arribas and Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. In 1999, the Spanish Department of Industry and the BCD Foundation recognized Mariscal for his many contributions to art across a wealth of industries. 

Mariscal has since explored a variety of disciplines, from painting murals to drawing and co-directing for animated films including the 2010 feature-length animated movie Chico and Rita. He currently lives and works in Barcelona.

On 1stDibs, browse Javier Mariscal seating, rugs and tables.