Sergio Rodrigues’ Mesa Parker table and chairs was commissioned by the Parker family in Rio circa 1978.

Made of solid pine with brass detailing and a lacquered top, Parker exemplifies Rodrigues’ ethos, which was centered around finely handcrafted furniture with a Modern aesthetic that also exemplified the unique character of the Brazilian people.

Just like the work of compatriot Joaquim Tenreiro (see Cadeira Tres Pes), Rodrigues’ designs often synthesized the tenets of Modernism with exquisite handcrafting and use of regional materials, as well as the occasional stylistic tweak that embraced idiosyncracies—like the unruly curve in the chair’s back and the circular cutout.

As exemplified in the Parker table and chairs, Rodrigues embraced a Modern aesthetic while simultaneously rejecting elements of it, incorporating in their place a regional design lexicon that made his work amenable to the unique character of his country and its people, one of “modern, comfortable furniture suited to the Brazilian tropical climate, availing of wood and leather.”

Find out more at Sergio Rodrigues Atelier.