The Artona console by Afra Scarpa and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, designed in 1975, is a paradigmatic work within the inaugural Artona series. An exploration of material contrast, proportion, and architectural clarity. Its elongated volume is defined by two planar supports and a subtly contoured top, beneath which drawers are seamlessly integrated, emphasizing continuity over articulation.
Executed in walnut veneer with ebony inlays, the console demonstrates the Scarpas’ precise control of surface and rhythm, where horizontal grain and tonal variation generate a restrained yet dynamic visual cadence. The absence of applied ornament foregrounds construction and detail, with recessed pulls and refined joinery underscoring a commitment to tactile and formal discipline.
Conceived as part of Maxalto’s early positioning as a laboratory for artisanal production, the Artona series articulates a synthesis of rational structure and expressive materiality. Both rigorous and sensorial, this console stands as a distilled expression of the Scarpas’ architectural approach to furniture.
Condition: Very good vintage condition
Material: Walnut veneer, ebony inlays
Designer: Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Model: Artona
Manufacturer: Maxalto
Design year: 1975
Dimensions: H 83.5 cm × W 305 cm × D 43.5 cm
The Artona console by Afra Scarpa and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, designed in 1975, is a paradigmatic work within the inaugural Artona series. An exploration of material contrast, proportion, and architectural clarity. Its elongated volume is defined by two planar supports and a subtly contoured top, beneath which drawers are seamlessly integrated, emphasizing continuity over articulation.
Executed in walnut veneer with ebony inlays, the console demonstrates the Scarpas’ precise control of surface and rhythm, where horizontal grain and tonal variation generate a restrained yet dynamic visual cadence. The absence of applied ornament foregrounds construction and detail, with recessed pulls and refined joinery underscoring a commitment to tactile and formal discipline.
Conceived as part of Maxalto’s early positioning as a laboratory for artisanal production, the Artona series articulates a synthesis of rational structure and expressive materiality. Both rigorous and sensorial, this console stands as a distilled expression of the Scarpas’ architectural approach to furniture.
Condition: Very good vintage condition
Material: Walnut veneer, ebony inlays
Designer: Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Model: Artona
Manufacturer: Maxalto
Design year: 1975
Dimensions: H 83.5 cm × W 305 cm × D 43.5 cm
Image 1 of 11
Image 2 of 11
Image 3 of 11
Image 4 of 11
Image 5 of 11
Image 6 of 11
Image 7 of 11
Image 8 of 11
Image 9 of 11
Image 10 of 11
Image 11 of 11