Giuseppe Scapinelli Biography
Giuseppe Scapinelli (1891 - 1982) was a designer and artist. He was born in 1891 in Modena, Italy, but like many Italians he crossed the ocean and chose Brazil in search of a new life. As a multidisciplinary craftsman in painting, ceramics and sculpture, he began his career as a furniture designer in the early 1950s. His style, influenced by his artistic background, immediately set him apart and gained immediate recognition within the design community. Soft shapes and sinuous, sinuous lines: his designs have an unexpected, rather futuristic quality and a strong identity. A successful furniture maker and merchant, he soon opened his own furniture factory; Fábrica de Móveis Giesse and a carpet factory; Fábrica de Tapetes Santa Helena, where he produced many exceptional, impeccably crafted pieces for the characterful homes of São Paulo. Both sensual and bold, his work is imbued with a timeless elegance revisited with a sensual, almost playful touch, with visibly Italian influences. His pieces are impeccably crafted from traditional Brazilian wood. His style distinguished him from the main players in the industry of the time due to its soft shapes and sinuous lines. Unlike some of his famous contemporaries, Scapinelli sank into relative obscurity after passing away in 1982. It took almost 30 years before connoisseurs and collectors could rediscover him and his fantastic designs: finally Scapinelli is back where he belongs, among the great masters of Brazilian Modern. Fortunately Scapinelli left behind a large body of work with many different and many beautiful pieces of furniture, sold only in Brazil, therefore very rarely seen in Europe.
