La Divina Commedia

Propylene chair with hand-carved narrative

Traditional skills are disappearing in the wake of automated production processes. La Divina Commedia gives a new lease of life to woodcarving; a traditional craft, modern techniques and a new material all come together to portray a literary classic. A master craftsman specialising in religious statues carved a laser-drawn 3D reproduction of Dante’s epos from propylene. This intricate epic narrative gives a new value to the plastic, a material often seen as cheap. The project is a sequel to the Godogan table that was carved in Indonesia. La Divina Commedia brings the craft back to the Netherlands, making the transition to a modern context through the choice of material.

Year: 2008
Material: Polyethylene
Measurement: 90 x 50 x 70 cm, 60 x 60 x 235 cm
Production: Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe
Project number: 08.005-006