Alvar Aalto

ALVAR AALTO (Kuortane, Finland, 1898–Helsinki, 1976)
Circular coffee table, designed in 1933
Produced by Artek, 1950s.
Birch and red linoleum.
In good condition, with patina and signs of wear consistent with its age and use.
Measurements: 40 x 100 x 100 cm.

The design belongs to the famous family of tables developed by Aalto beginning in 1933. Its construction features the characteristic curved “L”-shaped birch leg, a solution that allowed the legs to be directly attached to the tabletop and which became one of the great icons of Finnish design. The circular red linoleum tabletop rests on a birch frame with clean lines and balanced proportions. The contrast between the surface’s vivid color and the natural warmth of the wood gives the table an understated, elegant, and instantly recognizable presence.

An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto was a key figure in the Modern Movement, to which he contributed a more organic and human vision based on the expressive use of wood and curved forms. His work is represented in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.