Giuseppe Rivadossi, My House, 1975, Wood

Details

Description

Giuseppe Rivadossi’s work stands apart through its quiet sense of monumentality. Working almost exclusively in wood, the Italian sculptor and … Read more Giuseppe Rivadossi’s work stands apart through its quiet sense of monumentality. Working almost exclusively in wood, the Italian sculptor and cabinetmaker developed a language rooted in architecture, spirituality and craftsmanship. “La Mia Casa”, produced in 1975, reflects this approach with clarity. More than a sculpture, the piece reads as a personal meditation on shelter, memory and proportion. This example, numbered five within a small series of variations, retains its original gallery invoice and brochure from 1976, offering rare documentation of its early provenance.

Design
Carved from lindenwood, the sculpture presents itself as a distilled architectural volume. The curved silhouette resembles an archaic façade, chapel or gateway, reduced to its most essential form. Rivadossi shaped the surface through rhythmic hand-carved grooves that radiate from a central opening, creating a subtle play of light across the wood. These lines draw the eye inward toward the small door-like aperture placed near the base, introducing a human scale within the monumental composition.

Rather than relying on ornament, Rivadossi allowed the timber itself to guide the object. The warm honey tones, visible growth rings and natural markings become part of the sculpture’s visual rhythm. Seen from the side, the work reveals an unexpectedly thin profile, giving the object a near paper-like delicacy despite its scale. The contrast between the broad frontal plane and the sharp tapering edge demonstrates Rivadossi’s sensitivity toward balance and proportion.

His work from the 1970s often moved between sculpture and functional object, drawing from vernacular Italian architecture and religious symbolism. “La Mia Casa” belongs to this period of highly personal production, where domestic imagery became abstract and contemplative. The title, translated as “My House”, reinforces the intimate nature of the work.

Placed on a pedestal, console or within a pared-back interior, the sculpture possesses a calm architectural presence. Rivadossi approached wood with the sensibility of both a sculptor and master craftsman, allowing material, form and symbolism to exist in careful equilibrium.

Condition
The sculpture remains in very good vintage condition with minor traces of age and use visible across the surface. Several natural drying lines and subtle marks are present in the wood, consistent with the material and age of the piece. The original signature and date, “G. Rivadossi – 1975”, remain visible on the base. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less