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 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 Giuseppe Rivadossi case pieces, tables and decorative objects.
Rare Giuseppe Rivadossi Folding Desk
By Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in San Francisco, CA
This stunning one of a kind folding desk embodies a striking textured surface that is hand carved by gouge cut in walnut. It gives the piece its distincti...
Walnut
$142,000 / set
H 29.34 in W 63.78 in D 63.78 in
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Set in Carved Pine
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, unique set of seven dining armchairs with table, solid pine, Italy, 1970s This unique dining ensemble is among the finest works we have en...
Pine
$10,165 / item
H 29.93 in W 31.5 in D 87.8 in
Modern by Giuseppe Carpanelli Cartesio Writing Desk in Ebony
By Carpanelli
Located in Desio, IT
Writing desk made with a mix of raw materials: wood, leather, stainless steel and glass. Drawers in curved plywood, with a Makassar ebony finishing, equipped with drawers with full-e...
Ebony
$8,122
H 9.06 in W 58.67 in D 33.47 in
Midcentury coffee table by Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, Italy 1970
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Coffee table by Italian sculptor and designer Giuseppe Rivadossi manufactured by Officina Rivadossi. Stunning coffee table featuring a high level of craftsmanship in woodwork which ...
Wood
$2,187Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 32 in W 22 in D 22 in
Antique English Victorian Mahogany Folding Military Campaign Writing Desks
Located in Dayton, OH
2 Civil War era British campaign writing desks. Made of mahogany featuring a folding form that opens to a writing surface complete with ...
Mahogany
Jacques Adnet Folding Top Desk, France, 1950's
By Jacques Adnet
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Jacques Adnet leather, Brass & Oak desk. The frame is leather and brass wrapped steel, the top has two drop down oval leaves perfectly book matched to the top wrapped...
Brass
Louis XV Style Folding Desk with One Drawer, 1950
Located in Miami, FL
Louis XV style folding desk with one drawer. An exceptional Louis XV style desk, made of early Italian antique oak wood. This piece screams high quality. Beautiful grain and patina....
Walnut
Rare Johan Tapp for Gumps Desk
By Johan Tapp, Gumps
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Johan Tapp designed this beautiful writing desk, constructed of Koa wood for San Francisco emporium Gumps On the right, four individually sized drawers feature bookmatched fronts ...
Wood
Rare Early American Country Pyrography Desk
Located in Forney, TX
A rare, one-of-a-kind antique American folk decorated desk with beautifully aged distressed patina found in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Hand-crafted in the Southern United States in the late 19th century, featuring elaborate hand carving and pyrography wood burning decoration in classical motif, kneehole desk form with raised gallery dated "1899", having a topped with a single door cabinet, supported by two columns of three drawers. Provenance / Acquisition: Found in a Mt. Juliet, Tennessee farmhouse Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Bright Star Antiques, Sulfur Springs, Texas. Specializing in early American antiques...
Wood
$1,508
H 31.11 in W 55.91 in D 30.32 in
English Regency Desk with Foldable Desk / Writing Table 20th Century
Located in Berlin, DE
Extraordinary English regency desk with hinged sides and red leather top. 5 drawers in the front and 5 panels on the back. The leather top is provided with very thick embossing. The ...
Wood
$11,142 / item
H 29.14 in W 27.56 in D 66.93 in
Modern by Giuseppe Carpanelli Wave Writing Desk in Pama and Sycomore
By Carpanelli
Located in Desio, IT
Original desk with a curvilinear design. The structure is in essence of Pama and Sycomoro dark frisè. It is equipped with a large drawer and a suspended chest of drawers. The glass s...
Wood
$11,594 / item
H 36.62 in W 25.99 in D 51.19 in
Modern by Giuseppe Carpanelli 2019 Desk Pama and Sycomoro Wood
By Carpanelli
Located in Desio, IT
Desk characterized by the cylinder shape. The two sides are in Sycomoro dark frisè wood, internal structure in Pama wood. Horizontal flap door and soft closing. Optional accessories available on request: leather desk pad...
Wood
$16,400
H 30.71 in W 86.62 in D 37.01 in
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Table in Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, dining table, oak, Italy, 1970s Giuseppe Rivadossi once again proves his great eye for materialization and technicality this table is exem...
Oak
Giuseppe Rivadossi For Officina Walnut Desk, Italy, 1980's
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Austin, TX
Rare and collectible executive desk in walnut plank by Giuseppe Rivadossi. Solid construction throughout with creative joinery techniques. Hand-planed exterior surface gives the wa...
Walnut
Sold
H 32.29 in W 35.44 in D 15.75 in
Midcentury wood writing desk designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi, Italy 1970
By Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Elegant midcentury wood writing desk designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi, Italy 1970. Two drawers. The table can be used as a consolle table. ...
Wood