Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Molteni Set of Twelve 'Monk' Dining Chairs in Walnut and Leather

Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Molteni, set of twelve 'Monk' dining chairs, walnut, leather, Italy, 1974.

Set of ‘Monk’ chairs by renowned Italian designers Afra & Tobia Scarpa. The deep black leather forms a striking and sophisticated contrast with the warm, rich tone of the walnut wood, creating a beautifully balanced material combination.

Particularly notable is the distinctive flat profile of the design, where the legs are placed in a cross angled construction. This thoughtful structural feature gives the chairs a visually lightweight and almost architectural appearance, while in reality they are remarkably solid and substantial in weight. An additional refined detail is the use of dark nails at the top of each leg, subtly accentuating the craftsmanship and reinforcing the graphic quality of the design.

All in all, these chairs represent a highly interesting and exceptionally well made piece of Italian design. A simplified yet powerful creation by the award winning design duo Afra & Tobia Scarpa, combining structural clarity with timeless elegance.

Afra (1937-2011) & Tobia (1935-) Scarpa are a duo of Italian architects and designers mostly known for their postmodern style. Afra Bianchin was born in 1937 in Montebelluna while Tobia Scarpa, son of the architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in 1935 in Venice. The couple met when they were both studying at the Venice Institute of Architecture and married afterwards. From 1957 until 1961, Tobia worked as a glass designer at the Murano glassworks of Venini. However, in 1960, the duo started to collaborate, and they set up one of the most successful and well-known professional studios. Together, they worked for companies such as Flos Gavina, B&B Italia, and Knoll. The couple won numerous amounts of awards like the Compasso d’Oro and the International Forum Design. Throughout their career, the duo carried out commissions for well-known companies, including Benetton. Overall, their designs are known for their modernist aesthetic, prioritizing elegance and comfort. However, at the same time, their pieces are admired for the ease with which they lean towards classical designs. Moreover, the creations show their deep understanding for materials. Today, many of their works can be found in major museums such as Museum of Mod­ern Art of New York, Musée du Lou­vre, National Museum of Design New York and many more.

Kindly note that the set is in good, used condition with signs of age and use. For further details, we encourage you to reach out to our team of design specialists.