Photo Credit: Milan Design Agenda
Millennia of tradition, superior craftsmanship, and timeless design form the streamlined minimalism of Italian mid-century modern design. The aesthetic reflects a global movement that pulled characteristics from Italy’s rich design history and distinct culture of art and expression.
This dining table crafted by Carlo Mollino in 1949 was recently sold at a Sotheby’s auction for an astonishing $6.2 million dollars.
Other mid-century design movements, like those in the US, were driven by enthusiasm for new materials and the democratization of design. Sleek, modern buildings, furnishings, and art were now accessible to all. However, Italian designers were less interested in mass production and industrialization. Instead, they developed a version of modern design centered around an extreme commitment to craftsmanship. Rather than designing for the masses, they aimed to cater to the moneyed few, resulting in limited production of a small number of original pieces. This approach also granted creators more control over their designs and allowed them to devote a great deal of attention to detail. As a result of this intentional exclusivity, works of Italian mid-century design are extremely rare and extremely expensive today.
A Leader In The Arts
Photo Credit: Cassina
The driving force for mid-century modern designers was the creation of exceptional pieces that married the past with the present. This furniture, this art, and these home goods were designed to be used for the rest of the owners’ lives. The buyer could be confident these pieces would remain in style and, because of their superior craftsmanship, remain sturdy, strong, and comfortable.
Italian furnishings and décor of this period were crafted from traditional materials such as wood, ceramics, glass, and marble, rather than plastic or fiberglass. The new modern application of these materials was a celebration of science and technology – and meant to demonstrate just that. The commonality of mid-century design is a belief that minimal ornamentation is not boring; on the contrary, it is clean, uncluttered, and driven by form and function. Designers worked most often with colors that were neutral or with those found in nature. That subtle color palette worked in concert with the large windows and glass walls of mid-century architecture to create a sense of flow between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Famous Italian Mid-Century Modern Pieces
There are endless variations of the Arco lamp available today.
One of the most iconic mid-century modern light fixtures ever created was the Arco lamp. It was the work of Italian designer Achille Castiglioni, an expert at re-contextualizing everyday objects. The Arco solves the issue of lighting when overhead fixtures are not possible. Every feature of the lamp was selected to increase functionality. According to Castiglioni, everything had a purpose, even the small hole in the base, which was added to make the lamp movable with a broomstick rather than lifting.
Gio Ponti Superleggera Chair at the Denver Art Museum. Fun fact: Ponti was one of the designers of the Lanny and Sharon Building at the Denver Art Museum.
Gio Ponti is arguably one of Italy’s most famous 20th-century designers across numerous fields: architecture, art, furniture design, etc. Ponti himself considered the Superleggera Chair to be one of his most influential pieces. ‘Superleggera’ translates in English to “superlight” – not surprising as Ponti’s goal when creating this chair was for it to weigh as little as possible while remaining remarkably strong. At 3.75 pounds, it is simple, elegant, and functional – fundamental standards that Ponti often honored throughout his active six-decade design career.
The simple touch of molding the chair along the steel legs is a subtle yet distinct nod to modern design.
Ico Parisi designed the 875 Chair for Cassina. It’s an excellent example of Italian designers’ drive to bring innovation to classic elements. The chair is both eclectic and inviting, yet conveys modern elegance with clean lines and arched steel legs.
The name Camaleonda was created by Bellini by combining the words for chameleon and wave.
Mario Bellini designed the Camaleonda Sofa in 1970. The modular seating gave homeowners great flexibility in arranging their sofas in a nearly endless number of configurations to suit their spaces’ needs. This flexibility was driven by the designers’ desire to create pieces that would last a lifetime. The sofa is a bold statement and a celebration of luxury and comfort, with its cloud-like form and versatility giving it a lighthearted, playful personality.
