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Postmodern Alicudi laminate Dining table by Ettore Sottsass for Zanotta Italy 1990
€2,800Bid from €2,520
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Designed by Ettore Sottsass and produced by Zanotta in the early 1990s, the Alicudi table represents one of the most refined expressions of the master's exploration of color, form, and symbolism within the domestic sphere.
Created after the period when Sottsass founded the Memphis Group, Alicudi fully embodies that atmosphere of creative freedom and experimentation that defined the rebirth of Italian design in the 1980s - a moment when objects transcended mere function to become aesthetic and cultural statements.
The table belongs to the celebrated series dedicated to the Aeolian Islands - Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, and Panarea - conceived as a small archipelago of shapes and colors, a poetic homage to Mediterranean light and geography reinterpreted through the lens of design. In this collection, Sottsass abandons all modernist rigor to build a new language in which the object is no longer anonymous but imbued with emotional, spiritual, and symbolic references.
The solid cherry wood structure is supported by four turned conical legs, each with a bulb-shaped upper joint that accentuates the vertical rhythm and sculptural strength of the composition. These pure, totemic, and almost primitive forms evoke the columns of a small temple, while the rectangular decorative plastic laminate top introduces a counterpoint of graphic precision and chromatic lightness. The parallel bands in soft shades of pale yellow and sage gray create a sophisticated balance between discipline and invention, light and matter, evoking the sensual and sunny aesthetic of the Mediterranean filtered through Sottsass's intellectual vision.
Every element of Alicudi is designed to interact autonomously with space: the calibrated proportions, the vertical tension of the legs, and the geometric composure of the top generate a sculptural, almost architectural presence. At the same time, the warmth of the wood and the delicate tones of the laminate retain an intimate domestic feel, typical of Sottsass's philosophy, which always seeks to unite thought and life, form and emotion.
Thus, Alicudi embodies the perfect synthesis of Sottsass's vision for Zanotta: an intellectual yet profoundly human design, ironic and solemn at the same time, capable of transforming a table into a small architecture to be lived. Not a simple functional object, but a presence, a symbol of that unrepeatable moment when Italian design managed to merge craftsmanship, industry, and art into a single language.
Original piece produced by Zanotta in the early 1990s, in excellent vintage condition with light signs of use consistent with age and materials.
Product name: Alicudi table by Ettore Sottsass for Zanotta
Designer: Ettore Sottsass
Design Year: Early 1990s
Style: Italian Postmodernism, with references to the symbolic and chromatic language of the Memphis Group.
Primary materials: Solid cherry wood structure; decorative plastic laminate top in shades of pale yellow and sage gray.
Distinctive design features: Four turned conical legs with bulb-shaped upper joints that emphasize verticality and sculptural strength; rectangular top decorated with parallel bands that introduce a refined balance between graphic rigor and chromatic lightness. The pure, totemic forms evoke architectural columns, blending a sculptural dimension with domestic warmth.
Dimensions: Length 180 cm Width 90 cm Height 73 cm
Comfort: Although not conceived as a traditional ergonomic table, it offers stability, balanced proportions, and a generous surface that make it functional without compromising its artistic value.
Typical use: Dining tables or centerpiece, ideal for representative interiors, dining rooms, or exhibition spaces dedicated to 20th-century Italian design.
Design/One: Part of the series dedicated to the Aeolian Islands - Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, and Panarea - conceived as a small archipelago of shapes and colors, a poetic homage to Mediterranean light and geography reinterpreted through Sottsass's postmodern lens.
Versatility: The balance between natural wood and decorative laminate allows for harmonious integration into both domestic and contemporary or collectible interiors, where it takes on the role of a functional sculpture.
Current condition: Original piece produced by Zanotta in the early 1990s, in excellent vintage condition, with light signs of use consistent with age and materials.
Additional Notes: Please note that this piece is in excellent vintage condition. Minor traces of age may be present but do not affect its functionality. Buyers are invited to consider these characteristics before purchase.
Ettore Sottsass ( ) was one of the protagonists of 20th-century Italian design. Architect, artist, and visionary, he...
Additional details:
- Style: Italian Postmodernism
- Style: Memphis Group
- Material: solid cherry wood
- Material: plastic laminate
- Colour: pale yellow
- Colour: sage gray
- Period: 1990s
- length: 180.0 cm
Specifications
CategoryDining tablesConditionVery goodBrand / designerSottsassBrandEttore SottsassHeight73 cmWidth90 cmSeller locationConversano, ItalyDelivery optionsDelivery or pickup
Seller information
About this seller
ProfessionalConversano, ItalyOn Whoppah since October 2024 • 0 sales