Pamono Children’s Chairs and Table attributed to Alvar Aalto for Artek, 1970s, Set of 7

Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (Kuortane, February 3, 1898 – Helsinki, May 11, 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer, one of the most important Gigures in 20th century architecture and remembered – together with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier – as master of the Modern Movement. The name Artek has always evoked a design icon. And it could not be otherwise given that the founder, Alvar Aalto, was one of the pioneers of Scandinavian design. Born in 1935 to create and promote the furnishings designed by the Finnish architect, Artek soon transformed its mission, thanks to the contributions of the other three partners, Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl. The founders pursued the intention of producing objects that integrate art and technology, as the name itself suggests. Artek has always favored the use of natural materials, starting with wood, the raw material that is the foundation of Alvar Aalto’s work. from the experiments of the master on curved wood and on the joints of solid wood, objects with a Gluid and organic line are born, characterized by an extraordinary duration over time. Indestructible stools, armchairs, tables and chairs, made in the 1930s, are still in use today, and the minimalist design makes them suitable for any location, from residential to public facilities. Artek objects have always been mass-produced and hand-Ginished by skilled craftsmen. The production is mostly concentrated in the Turku plant, in Finland, where the carpenters, specialized in the manual bending of birch, in the production of laminated wood, plywood and veneers and in lacquering, produce the Ginished pieces without the help of intermediaries. .