In the mountains of Mexico, furniture designer and master weaver Mario Lopez Torres works with locally sourced organic materials to painstakingly craft complex and elegant decorative objects, tables and seating.
Originally from Mexico City, Torres apprenticed for his father, who was a professional photographer, and at 13 years old enrolled in a school for the fine arts, as he had by then become deeply interested in illustration and working with clay. At 20, Torres pursued a dream of designing furniture — specifically, weaving. He traveled to Altepexi, a municipality in Puebla, to learn how its artisans wove works from a wooden vegetable reed that is native to the region.
Torres sought mentorship from the prevalent artists Ana Pellicer and James Metcalf in order to learn how to work with metal, as he would need to create frames of brass and copper that supported his woven structures. Torres traveled to the United States to purchase metalworking equipment and went on to establish his own workshop in a small mountain village back in Mexico.
Torres put his hands and imagination to work — he harvested courses of chuspata, which is a reed that grows abundantly on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, and welded frames that the reed is woven around. He sold his first piece of furniture in 1974.
Today, Torres creates works that are characterized by his affinity for nature. His palm floor lamps feature woven rattan — a light and versatile material that can mingle with a wide range of styles — while the lifelike monkeys, birds and other animals that support his tables, table lamps or adorn his mirror frames are crafted from chuspata and take on whimsical poses. They create a playful, provocative presence in any space.
Find Mario Lopez Torres seating, lighting and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
1970s Mario Lopez Torres Monkey Bench in Woven Rattan
Located in Lancaster, PA
This is a vintage Mario Lopez Torres hand woven rattan bench in the shape of a monkey. The design was initially conceived in 1974, and this particular piece dates to the 1970s. The...
Rattan
Vintage Brown Woven Wicker Dog or Puppy Basket
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A vintage woven wicker puppy dog basket in brown. This cute basket will be great as a gift for a baby shower, displayed on a bookshelf, or even used as a fruit basket on a breakfast ...
Wicker
Kay Bojesen Rolling Dog Stool in Beech, 1950s
By Kay Bojesen
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Extremely rare Toddler Trolley, gogo baby balance cart/bike or alternatively plant stand or living room sculpture or even humorous entrance hall guard dog. It was designed and made i...
Beech
Large Wicker Pig Sculpture designed by M.Lopez Torres
Located in Antwerp, BE
A decorative, life-size sculpture of a pig made of wire and rattan. An attractive sculpture for your display or living room setting. Designed by M. Lopez Torres in his own craft work...
Metal
Vintage Hand-Stitched Leather Dog Sculpture
By Abercrombie & Fitch, Dimitri Omersa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Buttery leather puppy dog sculpture in the Style of Dmitri Omersa (ca. 1980s, USA). Very good, vintage condition with light patina/normal age consistent with age/use (due to the han...
Leather
Handmade leather dog/Boxer by DERU, Germany 1960s.
By Deru
Located in Köln, NW
Handmade leather dog / Boxer by DERU, Germany 1960s. These small leather animals are folded from a thicker piece of brown leather and riveted . Stamped: Deru. Germany Origami techni...
Leather
French Modernist Bronze Sculpture of a Stylized Dog, C. 1940.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A striking French Modernist sculpture depicting a standing Great Dane, executed in cast bronze with a rich, dark variegated patina. The figure is rendered in a bold geometric manner,...
Bronze
$1,000
H 14.18 in W 13.39 in D 8.67 in
Antique “Jaguar Petite” Stool by Mario Lopez Torres - Mexico, circa 1970
By Mario Lopez Torres
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Sculptural “Jaguar Petite” zoomorphic stool designed by Mario Lopez Torres, a leading figure in 20th-century Mexican design working with natural fibers, circa 1970. The piece featur...
Iron
Antique Mario Lopez Torres Jaguar Petite Stool
By Mario Lopez Torres
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, we offer this Antique Mario Lopez Torres Jaguar Petite Stool, made in natural woven and iron structure, the eyes are made in precious stone.
Iron
20th Century, Showa, Japanese Bronze Animal Dog
Located in Sampantawong, TH
Japanese bronze animal dog. Age: Japan, Showa Period, 20th Century Size: height 14.3 cm / width 6.5 cm / length 15.8 cm Condition: Nice co...
Bronze
Creature Sculptures by Dick Seeger
By Dick Seeger
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Dick Seeger large-scale sculptures, circa late 1980s. Seeger created a series of large-scale creatures all with saw horses on the interiors as foundations with papier mâché atop. The...
Ceramic, Wood
Brass & Freeform Wood Sculpture after Bertoia
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Free form wood and patinated brass sculpture after Harry Bertoia circa late 1960’s.
Brass
Monumental Iron Railroad Tie Man Sculpture by Bruce Gray
By Bruce Gray
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Topping out at nearly 8' tall this monumental work by California sculptor Bruce Gray is truly incredible in person! It is executed in patinated iron railroad nails and looks great fr...
Iron
Brutalist 1970's Patinated Bronze Sculpture by William De Lillo
By William De Lillo
Located in Phoenix, AZ
William De Lillo one off Brutalist bronze sculpture, circa early 1970s. The jeweler and artist, William De Lillo worked with Harry Winston, Cartier New York and most famously as Jean Schlumberger’s assistant at Tiffany & Co. Mr. de Lillo teamed with the costume jeweler, Robert F. Clark to create their haute couture jewelry...
Bronze
Brutalist Agnese Udinotti 1970's Steel Figurative Sculpture
By Agnese Udinotti
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Known for her abstract expressionistic figures in both painting and sculpture, this large Brutalist patinated steel sculpture by Arizona artist Agnese ...
Steel
Sculptural Norwegian Mid Century Bentwood Chairs
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Sculptural all original bentwood chairs from Norway make an elegant set of statement pieces. Price listed is for the pair.
Bentwood
