Jordi Vilanova i Bosch

JORDI VILANOVA I BOSCH (Barcelona, 1925–1998).
Dining table, c. 1960.
Beech and walnut wood.
In very good condition.
Measurements: 73 x 180 x 95 cm.
Dining table designed by Jordi Vilanova i Bosch around 1960, whose design represents the renewal of postwar Catalan design. The piece stands out for the purity of its lines, the balance between structural robustness and visual lightness, and a construction with a distinctly architectural character. The generously proportioned rectangular tabletop rests on two side supports joined by a horizontal crossbar—a signature solution of the designer that provides stability and a pronounced sculptural quality.Crafted from beech and walnut, it combines the warmth of the materials with high-quality cabinetmaking, reflecting the influence of Nordic design that Vilanova reinterpreted through a Mediterranean sensibility.
A Catalan interior designer and cabinetmaker, Jordi Vilanova enrolled in 1939 at the School of Artistic Trades and Crafts at La Lonja. He completed his training at the Busquets workshop, and between 1940 and 1953 he worked at Lluís Gili’s studio. Jordi Vilanova was the founder and promoter of the Catalan art magazine “Questions d’Art” (1967–74). In 1974, he opened a showroom featuring a permanent exhibition of furniture and upholstery of his own design, becoming a member of the Official Association of Decorators and Interior Designers of Barcelona and the SAD. His modern furniture and his approach to designing spaces were initially aimed at a broad public with limited financial resources and, consequently, homes with less living space. However, this vast majority did not understand his vision. Instead, it was the Catalan bourgeoisie, eager to break with outdated stylistic conventions, that embraced his work. He specialized in children’s furniture, such as the Delta stool, which won the Silver Delta Award presented by the ADI/FAD in 1964. He held exhibitions of his work in the Scandinavian countries. Among his most representative designs are the Tiracord and Billar chairs (1961), the Montseny MP bunk bed (1961), the Tartera (1966) and Petit (1978) rocking chairs, and the Z magazine rack (1987)—the latter designed in collaboration with his son, Pau Vilanova Vila-Abadal. His work is currently on display at the Barcelona Design Museum.