A stunning “Rosa Dei Venti“ table designed by Mario Ceroli and produced by Poltronova. The table is made from intersected pine segments with walnut and pine detailing and bronze inserts denoting the four compass points. This is one of the earliest examples produced, with the fire brand “Ceroli, Poltronova“ to the base. By far one of his most popular creations, Ceroli designed a table evocative of nature and the natural world.

The wind rose (translated from rosa dei venti) is a diagram that schematically represents the origin of the winds that persist in a given region during a long period of time. Its initial purpose was to indicate the position of the winds based on the four cardinal points: North, South, East, West.

Mario Ceroli (born 1938) is an Italian sculptor and an influential Arte Povera artist who was awarded the  prize for sculpture at the 1966 Venice Biennale. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, Mississippi. One of his sculptures is on the campus of the University of Turin and another at the Vatican Museums.

Poltronova is an Italian company that operates in the design and furniture sector based in Florence. Founded in 1957 in Agliana, its best known products, some also exhibited at the moment in New York, include the Joe armchair, the Superonda Poltronova modular sofa, the Ultrafragola mirror, and the Sgarsul rocking chair.

Poltronova used to sell the table with the following notice to customers: “the pine with which this piece of furniture is built, from the collection designed by the sculptor Mario Ceroli, can give rise due to its particular nature to cracks which are almost always caused by atmospheric or thermal changes. They are not to be considered a defect, they fall within the philosophy of the ‘natural’ desired by the artist.” Nevertheless, the table shows no signs of wear, cracking or warping to the wood.

Literature: Giuliana Gramigna, Sergio Mazza, “Repertorio del Design Italiano 1950–2000: Per l’arredamento domestico”, Umberto Allemandi & C, vol. 1, p. 214.

Condition: excellent vintage condition, please refer to photographs

Dimensions: 74cm high, 165cm deep, 165cm wide