Original Sculpture/ Seat Designed by Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
About the Item
- Creator:Gaetano Pesce (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.68 in (83 cm)Width: 63.78 in (162 cm)Depth: 26.38 in (67 cm)
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Polystyrene,Molded
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2000
- Production Type:New & Custom(Current Production)
- Estimated Production Time:Available Now
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Berlin, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4616231355702
Gaetano Pesce
Gaetano Pesce was of a generation of Italian architects who in the early 1960s rebelled against the industrial perfection of modernism by conceiving new furniture and objects that were at once expressive and eccentric in form; or you might say they were more like art than functionalist design.
Born in the picturesque coastal Italian city of La Spezia in 1939, Pesce was a precocious talent who could have forged a career as an artist but opted instead to go to Venice to study architecture because, as he has said, it was “the most complex of all the arts.” Rather than having new worlds opened to him at design school, however, Pesce found the rationalist curriculum oppressive in its insistence on standardization and prescribed materials and technologies.
Pesce wanted to explore the latest of both materials and technologies to create objects and buildings never before imagined, with what he called “personalities” that spoke to the issues of the day. He was keen to examine ways to diversify mass production so that each manufactured work could be distinct.
In 1964, Pesce met Cesare Cassina, of the forward-looking furniture company C&B Italia in Milan (now known as B&B Italia), for whom he would create many important designs, beginning with a collection of what he called “transformational furniture” — two chairs and a loveseat — made entirely out of high-density polyurethane foam. To make the pieces easy to ship and cost-efficient, he proposed that after being covered in a stretch jersey, they be put in a vacuum, then heat-sealed flat between vinyl sheets. Once the foam was removed from its packaging, the piece returned to its original shape — hence, the name Up for the series, which debuted in 1969.
In addition to these pieces, Pesce proposed for the collection something he referred to as an “anti-armchair,” which took the shape of a reclining fertility goddess, the iconic Donna.
Producing the piece's complex form turned out to be a technical challenge. Bayer, the foam’s manufacturer, deemed it impossible to accomplish. Pesce persisted and came up with a new procedure, demonstrating not only the designer’s key role in researching the nature and potential of new materials but also his vital importance in “doubting rules.” The Up chair and accompanying ottoman were born, and they were revolutionary in more ways than one.
In the early 1970s, Pesce began exploring one of his key concepts, the idea of the industrial originals. Employing a mold without air holes, and adding a blood-red dye to the polyurethane, he cast a bookcase that resembled a demolished wall, the rough edges of the shelves and posts resulting from fissures in the material made by trapped air.
Through his research into polyurethane, Pesce figured out a way to make a loveseat and armchair using only a simple wood frame and strong canvas covering as a mold. Since the fabric developed random folds during the injection process, the pieces were similar but not identical. Cassina named the suite of furnishings Sit Down and introduced it in 1975. By experimenting with felt soaked in polyurethane and resin, Pesce conceived I Feltri, another collection of armchairs introduced by Cassina in 1987.
Pesce went on to live a life that defied expectation and convention and along the way became one of the most seminal figures in art and design.
Find vintage Gaetano Pesce chairs, sofas, vases and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Berlin, Germany
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Dijnn Chair and Footstool, Designed by Olivier Mourgue, France, Airborne, 1965By Olivier MourgueLocated in Berlin, BerlinA set of the DIJNN Chair and Footstool in the original red stretch fabric. Metal construction with fabric and metal sliders. The Djinn chair is one element of a series of Djinn furniture designed by noted French designer Olivier Mourgue. In 1965 the first piece of the series, a Chaise Longue, was introduced by Airborne in Merignac Cedex, France. The rest of the series was released in 1965 and includes the iconic "Low Fireside Chair", a two-seat sofa, and a footstool. The set remained in production until 1976. The name "Djinn" refers to an Islamic spirit capable of changing shape. The design's low profile was an attempt to emulate the informal lifestyle of the time. The set was introduced during a time when growing interest in Eastern mysticism was influencing Western decorative arts. Originally called the "Low Fireside Chair", it is also commonly referred to as the "2001 Chair...Category
Late 20th Century French Organic Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWool
- Hoop Armchair by Palange & ToffoloniBy Werther Toffoloni and Piero PalangeLocated in Berlin, BerlinArmchair designed by Piero Palange and Werther Toffolon. Italy, Germa, 1972. Black lacquered wooden frame with the original leather upholstery. This is model G23. Seat height: 35 cm.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsHardwood
- Vintage Barcelona Chair & Footstool by Knoll International, Early 1970sBy Ludwig Mies van der RoheLocated in Berlin, BerlinLounge chair and footstool designed by Mies van der Rohe. U.S.A., Knoll International, Early 1970s. Original super vintage and patinated 'BARCELONA CHAIR' in brown leather. Chrome...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Pair of Green Leather Armchairs by Marco Zanuso, 1964By Marco ZanusoLocated in Berlin, BerlinPair of Woodline armchairs designed by Marco Zanuso. Italy, Arflex, 1964. Vintage chairs with plywood frame and newly upholstered in subtle green leather. Literature: Repertori...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Plywood
- The Euphrates Ceramic Vase by SottsassBy Ettore SottsassLocated in Berlin, BerlinVase in ceramic, by Ettore Sottsass, 1983. The Euphrates vase, made of ceramic porcelain. This is part of the Rivers series, designed by Sottsass 1981-1988. Stamped underneath....Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Vases
MaterialsCeramic
- Pair of Lounge Chairs by Charles & Ray Eames, Vitra, 1980sBy Charles and Ray EamesLocated in Berlin, BerlinPair of Lounge chairs, designed by Charles and Ray Eames. Germany, Vitra, 1986. Beautiful original lounge chairs with a black shell and subtle and used yellow leather upholstery. ...Category
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Bentwood
- Original Sculpture / Seat Mod Up7 Designed by Gaetano Pesce, B&B ItaliaBy Gaetano PesceLocated in Ibiza, SpainLarge seat / sculpture mod. Up7 designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 and edited by B&B Italia, 2000 series. Made of polyurethane foam painted in color black. Produced as part of the UP series...Category
Early 2000s Italian Lounge Chairs
MaterialsPlastic
- Sculpture by Gaetano Pesce for The Museum of Modern Art New YorkBy Gaetano Pesce, CassinaLocated in Milan, ItalyPolyurethane sculpture created by Gaetano Pesce for The Museum of Modern Art New York, 1972, published by Centro Cassina, Italy. Biography Gaetano Pesce (1939 - 2024) was born in La...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsRubber
- Sculptural Centerpiece in the Manner of Gaetano Pesce, 1990sBy César Baldaccini, Gaetano PesceLocated in Lille, FRSculptural centerpiece in the manner of Gaetano Pesce, 1990s.Category
1990s Italian Modern Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsResin
- Gaetano Pesce for Fish DesignBy Gaetano PesceLocated in Las Vegas, NVBlue and purple vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design, NYC. This maestro of resin creates fantasy even on a small scale using light, color, and texture in t...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Vases
MaterialsResin
- Gaetano Pesce for Fish DesignBy Gaetano PesceLocated in Las Vegas, NVPurple and yellow vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design, NYC. Gorgeous texture and opacity from the legendary Gaetano Pesce.Category
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Vases
MaterialsResin
- Vase Mod. Amazonia Designed By Gaetano Pesce, ItalyBy Gaetano PesceLocated in Madrid, ESContemporary vase designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 and edited by Fish design. Made of colored soft resin. Unique piece. Italy Measurements: Diameter 22cm x H 36cm Bibliography ...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vases
MaterialsResin
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Ruth Lande Shuman’s Manhattan Apartment Is a Happy Rainbow — Thanks to Gaetano Pesce
Over the years, Shuman has filled her Park Avenue penthouse with the Italian designer's radically colorful creations. Here's how it all came to together.
With Their Rambunctious Faux Naïf Aesthetic, Young Makers Are Changing the Way We Think about Design
Following in the footsteps of Italian master Gaetano Pesce, these mostly millennial talents are embracing an intentionally imperfect style with wildly creative results.