Up5 La Mamma Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1960s. Italy Reupholstered in furrish brown fabric.
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fabric
Up5 La Mamma Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1960s. Italy Reupholstered in furrish brown fabric.
Fabric
$8,124Sale Price|20% Off
Gaetano Pesce Nobody's Perfect Small Chair in Red Resin by Zerodisegno 2000s
By Zerodisegno, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Some of his most famous furniture pieces include the Up-7 Piede, a large plastic lounge chair shaped like a human foot (1969); the Up5 armchair, also known as La Donna or La Mamma, a...
Resin
$12,186Sale Price|20% Off
Gaetano Pesce The Faces Chair from Nobody's Perfect series by Zerodisegno 2005
By Zerodisegno, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Some of his most famous furniture pieces include the Up-7 Piede, a large plastic lounge chair shaped like a human foot (1969); the Up5 armchair, also known as La Donna or La Mamma, a...
Resin, Plastic
$8,124Sale Price / set|20% Off
Gaetano Pesce Set of Four Multicoloured Umbrella Chairs by Zerodisegno 1990s
By Zerodisegno, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Some of his most famous furniture pieces include the Up-7 Piede, a large plastic lounge chair shaped like a human foot (1969); the Up5 armchair, also known as La Donna or La Mamma, a...
Aluminum
$7,785 / item
UP5&6 "La Mamma" by Gaetano Pesce designed in 1969
Located in Brussels, BE
The iconic UP5 armchair and its matching UP6 ottoman commonly known as “La Mamma”, "La Donna", " Big Mamma" or "Up 50" is imagined in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce and reedited in 2019 by B&...
Fabric
MINT Black UP5 La Big Mamma UP 2000 Chair & UP6 Ottoman Gaetano Pesce B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Basel, BS
Often referred to as the "Big Mama Chair" or "La Mamma," it is distinguished by its organic, sculptural form that harmoniously merges comfort with aesthetic appeal.
Fabric, Upholstery, Foam
UP5 La Big Mamma Chair & UP6 Ottoman Gaetano Pesce, 2000s
Located in PARIS, FR
Designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce for C&B Italia — soon to become B&B Italia — the UP5/6, known as "La Mamma" or "Donna," remains one of the most politically charged objects ...
Fabric, Foam
$2,600Sale Price|31% Off
'Babel' Resin Wine Bucket by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design Italy, 1990s, Signed
By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design
Located in Los Angeles, CA
His creations reflect a profound contemplation of modernity, exemplified by the La Mamma chair (1969), which evokes a prehistoric fertility figure, and the Organic Building in Osaka ...
Resin
$3,430Sale Price / set|20% Off
Gaetano Pesce Set of Three Nesting Play Tables in Resin by Fish Design 1999
By Fish Design, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Some of his most famous furniture pieces include the Up-7 Piede, a large plastic lounge chair shaped like a human foot (1969); the Up5 armchair, also known as La Donna or La Mamma, a...
Steel
$4,513Sale Price|20% Off
Gaetano Pesce Luigi (o mi amate voi?) 902 Shelf in Lacquered Wood by Bernini 80s
By Bernini, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Some of his most famous furniture pieces include the Up-7 Piede, a large plastic lounge chair shaped like a human foot (1969); the Up5 armchair, also known as La Donna or La Mamma, a...
Metal
$1,820Sale Price|24% Off
'Amazonia' Resin Vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design Italy, Serie 2007, Signed
By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design
Located in Los Angeles, CA
His creations reflect a profound contemplation of modernity, exemplified by the La Mamma chair (1969), which evokes a prehistoric fertility figure, and the Organic Building in Osaka ...
Resin
Unavailable
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
Gaetano Pesce Up Armchair + Ottoman, “La Mamma” B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in PEGO, Alicante
One of a kind lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce, the Up armchair and ottoman or “La Mamma” chair for B&B Italia 1969.
Fabric
La Mamma Up 5 Lounge Chair & Ottoman for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
La Mamma Up 5 camel lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, c.2000s, Italy.
Foam, Upholstery
La Mamma Up 5 Bouclé Lounge Chair & Ottoman for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
La Mamma Up 5 powder blue bouclé lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, c.2000s, Italy.
Bouclé, Foam
La Mamma Up 5 Bouclé Lounge Chair & Ottoman for B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Los Angeles, CA
La Mamma Up 5 teddy bear brown bouclé lounge chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia, c.2000s, Italy.
Bouclé, Foam
Sold
H 40 in W 44 in D 44 in
Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia La Mamma UP5 and UP6 Lounge Chair and Ottoman
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia UP5 and UP6 Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Labeled on bottom. Originally designed in 1969 for a few years before it was discontinued in 1973, the UP5 & 6 loun...
Fabric, Foam
Sold
H 29.93 in W 27.17 in D 21.66 in
post-modern broadway chair by gaetano pesce for bernini, 1993, set of 4
By Gaetano Pesce, Bernini
Located in Hyères, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
how to turn a new idea for a chair’s suspension into a pop art piece: gaetano pesce’s „broadway chair“, designed in 1993. pesce, a visionary designer, artist and architect, always se...
Steel
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
Vintage La Mamma Up5 Bouclé Lounge Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italian, 1960s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Wesseling, DE
Large designer lounge chair "La Mamma" Up 5 with matching ottoman by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia.
Bouclé
Sold
H 40 in W 42 in D 48 in
B&B Italia 'La Mamma' Up 5/6 Lounge Chair & Ottoman, Red Stripe by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Toronto, CA
Since its first appearance, the Up Series, designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce, has been one of the most talked about examples of modern furniture design. The exceptional visual impact...
Fabric, Foam
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in L 40.56 in
UP5 La Mamma UP 2000 Chair & UP6 Ball Ottoman by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Izegem, VWV
Designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969, right from the onset the Up series has been one of the most outstanding expressions of design with its expressive shapes upholstered with elastic f...
Fabric, Foam, Latex, Polyester
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
La Mamma set, armchair and ottoman UP5 and 6 by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Lyon, FR
Stunning La Mamma set, 2000 series, made of the UP5 lounge chair and its UP6 ottoman.
Velvet, Foam
Gaetano Pesce Up5 Chair for B&B Italia, 1969
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Legendary “La Mamma” Up5 lounge chair from iconoclastic designer and artist Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia in gray.
Foam
Sold
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
UP5_6 armchair from the UP 2000 series, by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
Known as the "Big Mama Chair" or "La Mamma", this piece stands out for its organic, sculptural shape that seamlessly combines comfort and aesthetics.
Fabric, Foam
Triple Play Side Table by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design, Nr. 11/2019
By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design
Located in Hyères, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
“i like beauty full of mistakes because we are human. perfection is for machines, it is obsolete, gone,” he once said. and you can feel it in his organic, innovative, warm, sometimes...
Metal
Sold
H 40 in W 42 in D 48 in
B&B Italia 'La Mamma' Up 5/6 Lounge Chair&Ottoman, Green Stripe by Gaetano Pesce
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Toronto, CA
Since its first appearance, the Up Series, designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce, has been one of the most talked about examples of modern furniture design. The exceptional visual impact...
Fabric, Foam
Triple Play Dining Table by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design, Nr. 1/2016
By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design
Located in Hyères, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
“i like beauty full of mistakes because we are human. perfection is for machines, it is obsolete, gone,” he once said. and you can feel it in his organic, innovative, warm, sometimes...
Metal
Sold
H 40.16 in W 46.86 in D 47.25 in
Gaetano Pesce Up 5 and Up 6 2000 Series Lounge Chair and Ottoman 'La Mamma'
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Zagreb, HR
Over the years, the UP5 6 armchair has become an international icon with different names, from "La Mamma", "Big Mama" to "Blow-Up". The chair and the ottoman are made entirely of p...
Fabric, Foam
$6,657 / set
H 40.56 in W 51.19 in D 47.25 in
Up Du5 and Du6 Armchair and Ottoman by Gaetano Pesce for B&B, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Roma, IT
Armchair Gaetano Pesce for b&b - ITitalia series UP DU5 and DU6. Measures: 103 x 120 x 130 cm. It includes ottoman diameter 60 cm. An icon on international post-war design, and one...
Metal
$22,800 / set
H 29.14 in W 20.08 in D 18.71 in
Gaetano Pesce “543 Broadway” Chairs for Bernini, 1993, Set of 4
By Bernini, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gaetano Pesce “543 Broadway” chairs for Bernini, epoxy resin, stainless steel, gum, 1993, set of four. The eclecticism and genius of Gaetano Pesce are explicitly visible in his icon...
Resin, Plastic
$44,850
H 29 in W 77 in D 37 in
Gaetano Pesce, Nobody's Perfect Zerodesegno Dining Table, Multicolor Resin
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare and exceptional Gaetano Pesce Nobody's Perfect Zerodesegno dining table. Tubular resin legs support a sturdy resin grid top with a resin "table cloth" top. A sturdy and function...
Resin
$8,908
H 29.53 in W 47.25 in D 37.01 in L 29.53 in
Mario Bellini Le Bambole Lounge Chair, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A beautiful large Mario Bellini Le Bambole lounge chair, newly upholstered in luxury pure Alpaca wool fabric, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s. Marked on the underside....
Alpaca
$36,000 / set
H 29.5 in W 22 in D 17 in
Set of 6 Post Modern Gaetano Pesce "543 Broadway" Chairs For Bernini, 1993
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is a remarkable set of six "543 Broadway" chairs designed by Gaetano Pesce for Bernini (Italy, 1993). These iconic postmodern chairs embody the radical, avant-garde ethos of the...
Steel
$4,185
H 27.56 in W 26.38 in D 32.29 in
Giancarlo Piretti "Alky" Lounge Chair in Bouclé for Anonima Castelli, Italy 1970
By Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
Located in Utrecht, NL
Italian designer Giancarlo Piretti emerged as a leading figure in postwar furniture design, known for combining technical ingenuity with sculptural forms. A longtime collaborator wit...
Aluminum
$1,523
H 29.53 in W 18.71 in D 21.26 in
Space Age Red Plastic Vintage Chair Selene by Vico Magistretti, Italy
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age red vintage plastic chair model Selene designed by Vico Magistretti 1968 for Artemide Milano, Italy. The chair shows a very good vintage condition with fine scratches on th...
Plastic
$4,399 / item
H 25.5 in W 30.3 in D 33.4 in
Pierre Paulin 'Pacha' Lounge Chair with Returning Swivel for GUBI
By Gubi, Pierre Paulin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pierre Paulin 'Pacha' Lounge Chair with Returning Swivel for GUBI Pierre Paulin 'Pacha' lounge chair upholstered in Harp ivory fabric (24- Fabric group A). Paulin designed the 'Pach...
Cotton, Wood
Soriana Chair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Argelato, BO
Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Soriana Sofas, Cassina, Italy, 1970s. Afra (1937-2011) & Tobia (1935-) Scarpa both studied at the Venice Institute of Architecture. Their pieces are exhibited i...
Steel
$3,148Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 27.56 in D 23.63 in
Multicolored 'Glass' Armchair by Anacleto Spazzapan Series 'Fabric' 2000s
By Anacleto Spazzapan
Located in Milano, IT
Armchair designed and made by Anacleto Spazzapan by welding an iron rod subsequently embellished with multicolored fabric applied by means of the flake technique. Seat bearing the ar...
Fabric
$11,300
H 40.56 in W 47.25 in D 51.19 in
" UP 5 " by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia Red Armchair with Ottoman 1970s
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
NOT A 2000 SERIES Since its first appearance, the Up Series, designed in 1969 by Gaetano Pesce, has been one of the most talked about examples of modern furniture design. The excep...
Fabric
$13,500
H 30 in W 52 in D 32 in
'Le Bambole' Lounge Chair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970s Italy
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning Le Bambole chaise lounge chair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia. Made in Italy and presented here with its original 1970s wool felt upholstery in Camel in fantastic condition...
Fabric, Foam
$30,583 / set
H 29.14 in W 15.75 in D 19.69 in L 29.14 in
Gaetano Pesce Bernini Broadway Chairs, Set of 4
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Broadway chairs Gaetano Pesce Bernini set of 4: iconic Italian design chairs characterized by the experimental approach with the use of epoxy and unconventional resin by Gaetano Pesc...
Metal
$5,997Sale Price / set|50% Off
H 32.25 in W 19 in D 26 in
Set of 4 Italian Post-Modern / Memphis Dining Chairs by Massimo Iosa Ghini
By Massimo Iosa Ghini
Located in New York, NY
Set of 4 Italian Post-Modern / Memphis Bolidist "Velox" dining chairs by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Moroso, Milan, 1987. 1 "Velox" Chair with sweeping curved arms and 3 "Velox" side chai...
Steel
Gaetano Pesce Chair for Cassina 1980 80s
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Gaetano Pesce chair for Cassina. Model: Dalila Due Plastic painted in dark red. Rare chair in the style of Gaetano Pesce 's Radicale era. It's dark and decadent.
Plastic
$1,675
H 29.53 in W 31.5 in D 32.68 in
Modular Armchair by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1968
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Madrid, ES
This modular armchair was designed in 1968 by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina in Italy. The piece reflects the Scarpa duo’s rigorous yet sensitive approach to furniture design, whe...
Bouclé, Wood
$2,860 / item
H 29.93 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Ethnic Straw Armchair by +55design Brazilian Design with Indigenous Craft
By Neca Abrantes
Located in Jardim America, SP
This rotating armchair by Neca Abrantes is a striking fusion of contemporary Brazilian design and indigenous handcrafted traditions. Known for her deep passion for native craftsmansh...
Straw
$9,500 / set
H 35 in W 20 in D 20.5 in
Postmodern Sculptural Steel Brown Leather French Pair of Chairs, 1980s, France
By Maria Pergay
Located in New York, NY
Sculptural steel brown leather French pair chairs, 1980s, France These are very rare leather and steel chairs form France. From the Maria Pergay, Michel Boyer Era. The leather is in...
Steel
On Hold|$17,500
H 18 in Dm 47.25 in
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne “Chan” Coffee Table, Acid Etched Brass, 1960s
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Bradenton, FL
This is an iconic Philip and Kelvin Laverne "Chan" coffee table made of acid etched brass over pewter over wood and patinated brass. The table features a substantial 47.25" round top...
Brass, Pewter
Anden I Opaline Acrylic Table Lamp by Studio Orbeat
Located in Geneve, CH
Anden I Opaline Acrylic Table Lamp by Studio Orbeat Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 12 cm Materials: opaline acrylic, bronze, bulit in dimmer switch and warm LED light. Fittings also av...
Bronze, Other
$12,200 / item
H 43.31 in W 17.72 in D 35.44 in
Contemporary Mexican Design Handcrafted Wood Cabinet Carmen, Mirror
By Comité de Proyectos
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carmen is a bartender, a storage cabinet with a functional design. Inside, it has a pair of drawers for storing objects, space for bottles, compartments for glasses and a cup holder...
Steel
$2,900 / set
H 10.63 in W 4.73 in D 8.27 in
Pair of 1950s Italian Sculptural Wall Lights in Brass, Green and Opaline Glass
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of Italian wall sconces dating from the 1950s, characterized by a sculptural mid-century composition and a distinctive combination of brass, green lacquer and opaline glass. Ea...
Brass
Sold|$5,500 / set
H 36 in W 25 in D 31.5 in
Pair Mexican Modern Lounge Chairs, Michael Van Bueren, Domus Mexico 1960s
Located in Round Rock, TX
Pair of Mexican Woven Lounge Chairs, Attributed to Michael van Beuren for Domus A handsome pair of midcentury Mexican lounge chairs attributed to Michael van Beuren for Domus, circa...
Cord, Mahogany
$38,400 / set
H 23.63 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Two-tone Velvet, Set of 8
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, velvet, metal and plastic, Italy, 1970, eight elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscovered. Our atelier carefully res...
Plastic, Velvet
$89,000
H 36 in W 23 in D 22 in
In Stock in Los Angeles, Sawaya & Moroni Crypto Chair, Sido & François Thévenin
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 500 other unique products. In Stock in Los Angeles This chair is part of a group of altogether four different “Crypto” ...
Bronze
Japanese Antique Low Table 1860s-1920s / Sofa Table Wabi Sabi
By Axel Vervoordt
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
This is a rare old Japanese wooden low table, believed to date from the late Meiji period to the Taisho period, circa 1860s to 1920s. The tabletop is made from a single solid slab o...
Wood
$2,170
H 33.13 in W 29.25 in D 28 in
Harrie Bertoia, Diamond Chair Black & White with Black Fabric Cushion
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Nuernberg, DE
An exceptional early Harry Bertoia Diamond Chair, featuring the distinctive two-tone black and white lacquered frame with its original black upholstered seat. Designed by Harry Berto...
Metal
$20,206
H 31.5 in W 157.49 in D 59.06 in
Verner Panton Cloverleaf Sofa 3 Parts in 'Harald 3 #982' by Kvadrat for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton cloverleaf sectional sofa. Current production. This listing shows a 3-piece Cloverleaf Sofa in dark green 'Harald 3 #982' by Kvadrat. Seats 5 people in a very interesti...
Fabric, Wood
'Cocoon' by Achille & Pier Castiglioni for Flos
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Quite rare Castiglioni cocoon in this amazing resin blown on iron skeleton. Super warm and cozy light. No scratches of cracks, only stains due to age and use.
Iron
$10,290Sale Price|20% Off
H 55.12 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Luxury Wine and Liquor Trunk, Full-Grain Leather, Pacific Blue, France
Located in Sciez sur léman, Sciez sur léman
The Wine and Liquor Trunk is a luxury piece of craftsmanship designed for discerning wine and liquor enthusiasts. The full-grain cowhide leather exterior in Pacific Blue adds a touch...
Brass
$3,414
H 25.4 in W 19.49 in D 19.49 in
Original Achille Castiglioni ‘Taccia’ Table Lamp for Flos, Italy, 1962
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in London, GB
An iconic ‘Taccia’ table lamp, designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos in 1962. One of the most recognisable lighting designs of post-war Italian modernism, the Taccia combines an a...
Metal, Aluminum
Bromelia Vase Clear Red
By Corsi Design Factory
Located in Milan, IT
Vase in soft resin and leather designed by Fernando and Humberto Campana in 2010 for the NativoCampana collection. Our pieces will be manufactured after receiving the order, keeping ...
Resin
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.