ALVAR AALTO. METAL TABLE, Valaistustyö Ky 1974/75.

Round table with base, six nickel-plated shelves and on top a two-part ashtray. Marked AA Valaistusttö Ky. Diameter 60.5 cm, height 54 cm.
Alvar Aalto is today one of the foremost representatives of Scandinavian modernism. His bentwood furniture stands as symbols for a softer interpretation of the movements that emerge in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. But it is as a strict functionalist that he gets his breakthrough. After graduating from Helsinki University of Technology, he opens his own architectural office in his hometown Jyväskylä. After successes with, among others, Arbetareföreningens hus (1923-25) and Skyddskårens hus
(1927-29) he moves to Turku where he draws Turun Sanomat's house (1930), Pemars Sanatorium (1933) and Viborg's library (1935). The latter is completed the same year as he together with his wife Aino Aalto, Marie Gullischen and Nils-Gustav Hahl establish a company, Artek. For Artek he will in the next few years design a number of organically held bentwood furniture, several of which are still manufactured today. But already in the 1920s, Alvar Aalto became interested in furniture design. During this decade, he draws, among other things, a smoking table in metal with six shelves. It is strictly functionalist without any similarities with the 1930s standardized everyday furniture from the Artek company. There is, on the other hand, a kinship with Aalto's architecture, not least with the Pemar sanatorium and even with the functionalism that is currently prevailing on the continent. In 1932 the Swedish art critic Gotthard Johansson summarizes the Finnish furniture designer and architect in one sentence:
“Aalto himself is a man, whom you meet as often in Paris, Berlin or Stockholm as in Turku, a heretical and inventive brain, which interacts with architecture as with a large Meccano box, but at the same time a refined artist with similar instinctively confident balancing ability as Le Corbusier. "
Johansson sees similarities with and draws parallels between Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto when Aalto´s furniture is discussed in the 1920s. Much later in his career, a few years into the 1970s, Alvar Aalto returns to the functionalist expression. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York wants to order a copy of his round table with six shelves. Aalto accepts also refines some details. The ashtray is made slightly larger and placed closer to the outside of the circle.
The task of carrying out the order work goes to Viljo Hirvonen. It is no coincidence that Hirvonen is entrusted the task. Viljo Hirvonen founded the company Valaistustyö Ky in 1952 and started a collaboration with Alvar Aalto the following year. Hirvonen masters metalwork and becomes for Aalto an ideal partner in the manufacturing of luminaires. When MoMA orders a work in metal, Hirvonen is the obvious choice. Viljo Hirvonen has time, however no more than to complete the table before he passes away after a short time of illness.
Alvar Aalto dies the following year and the order is never shipped. The table remains in Finland and has until now been privately owned.

Alvar Aalto is today one of the foremost representatives of Scandinavian modernism. His bentwood furniture stands as a symbol of the softer interpretation of the currents that emerged in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s.
But it is as a tight functionalist that he gets his breakthrough. After graduating from Helsinki University of Technology, he opens his own architectural office in his hometown of Jyväskylä. After success with, among others, Arbetareföreningen's house (1923-25) and Skyddskårens hus (1927-29), he moved to Turku where he designed Turun Sanomat's house (1930), Pemars Sanatorium (1933) and Viborg's library (1935). The latter will be completed the same year that he, together with his wife Aino Aalto, Marie Gullischen and Nils-Gustav Hahl, establish the company Artek. For this, he will in the next few years design a range of organically kept bentwood furniture, several of which are still manufactured today. But already in the 1920s, Alvar Aalto became interested in the design of furniture. During this decade, he designed, among other things, a metal smoking table with six floors. It is executed in a strictly functionalism without any similarities with the 1930s standardized everyday furniture from the company Artek. On the other hand, it is possible to find kinship with Aalto's architecture, not least with the Pemar sanatorium and also with the functionalism that prevails on the continent at the time. In 1932, the Swedish art critic Gotthard Johansson sums up the Finnish furniture designer and architect in one sentence: a large Meccano box, but at the same time a refined artist with one of Le Corbusier's instinctively sure balancing abilities. ” Johansson sees in Aalto similarities with Le Corbusier and it is closest to this that parallels can be drawn when Alvar Aalto's furniture creation during the 1920s is discussed. Much later in his career, a few years into the 1970s, Alvar Aalto has reason to return to the functionalist expression. Then in connection with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York ordering a copy of his round table with six plates. Aalto accepts and also takes the opportunity to refine some details. The ashtray is made slightly larger and placed closer to the outside of the circle. The task of carrying out the order work goes to Viljo Hirvonen. It is no coincidence that Hirvonen is entrusted with the task. Viljo Hirvonen founded the company Valaistustyö Ky in 1952 and began a collaboration with Alvar Aalto the following year. Hirvonen masters metalwork at his fingertips and becomes for Aalto an ideal partner in the manufacture of luminaires. When MoMa orders a work in metal, Hirvonen is the obvious choice. However, Viljo Hirvonen has no more time than to complete the table before he passes away after a short illness. When Alvar Aalto dies the following year, the order is never shipped. The table will remain in Finland and has until now been privately owned.