Italian architect, designer, teacher and urban planner Angelo Mangiarotti was a leading light in the international design community from the 1960s onward. While he was an adherent of the rationalist principles of purity of line and simplicity of construction, he sought to imbue his designs for coffee tables, dining chairs, sconces and other furnishings with a sense of character and lightness of spirit that was often lacking in late-20th-century modernist architecture and design.
Born in Milan, Mangiarotti studied architecture at Milan Polytechnic, graduating in 1948. Five years later, he won a visiting professorship at the Illinois Institute of Technology — beginning a peripatetic academic career that would see him teaching in numerous Italian institutions as well as in schools as far afield as Hawaii and Australia. He worked with Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and met such greats as Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius. He returned to Italy in 1955 and would go on to work on numerous industrial, residential, commercial and civic projects in his home country, most notably a group of six railway stations in Milan.
As a designer, Mangiarotti and the development of his career embodies the evolution of modernism in the latter decades of the 20th century. In the late 1950s and early ’60s, after early experiments in plywood furniture and one-piece foam-core seating — including the 1110 lounge chair for Cassina — Mangiarotti began to design using more classic materials, from delicate, curvaceous blown-glass table lamps for Artemide to chandeliers with crystal links for Vistosi.
In 1971, Mangiarotti introduced what became his signature designs: a series of tables in marble and other stones that featured “gravity joints,” their legs held in place by the weight of the tabletop. Tables in his Eros collection have muscular proportions that anticipate the robust, overscaled lines of postmodern works that would appear 10 years later: His Eccentrico table, for example, is a striking assemblage in marble featuring a top that is cantilevered dramatically on a canted columnar base.
But simplicity and practicality were consistently the primary watchwords of Mangiarotti’s designs. The purity and elegance of the objects he created offer a graceful counterpoint to a traditional decor, yet they have a singular sculptural presence that allows them to stand out powerfully in a modern interior.
Find vintage Angelo Mangiarotti furniture on 1stDibs.
Extremely Rare Lounge Chairs Designed by Mangiarotti for the 'Casa Vitale' 1969
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Beautiful and extremely rare pair of sculptural form modular lounge chairs designed by architect, designer and sculptor Angelo Mangiarotti in 1969 for the 'Casa Vitale' in Milan, Ita...
Steel
$10,977 / set
H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 34.65 in
Mario Bellini Bambole Chairs, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A Mario Bellini Le Bambole pair of chairs, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s, newly upholstered in luxurious 100% alpaca. Dims: H 73cm D 88cm W 80cm SH 40/41cm
Alpaca
1969, Bruno Mathsson for Dux, Pernilla Lounge Chair
By Bruno Mathsson, Dux of Sweden
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This item is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beach...
Leather, Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$7,770Sale Price / set|26% Off
H 26 in W 38 in D 40 in
Soriana Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 1969
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in 1969 for Cassina, the Soriana lounge chair is a piece of design history. Here we have a completely original vintage example in original velvet co...
Steel
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Gio Ponti for Casa e Giardino
By Gio Ponti
Located in San Francisco, CA
This pair of expertly restored small-scale armchairs by Gio Ponti for Casa e Giardino features tapered oak legs and rich Sandra Jordan Prima Alpaca Suri Zibelinado upholstery in Aube...
Fabric, Oak
1 Steelcase Modular Seating Group Lounge
By Steelcase
Located in Pasadena, TX
Turnstone for Steelcase Jenny Collection Designed with posture and a better sitting experience in mind, Jenny Modular seating provides ultimate comfort...
Wood
$6,586Sale Price|40% Off
H 24.41 in W 29.14 in D 27.56 in
Two Space-Age "042" Chairs by Geoffrey Harcourt for Artifort
By Geoffrey Harcourt
Located in Shepperton, Surrey
A pair of model 042 chairs in cognac leather by Geoffrey Harcourt for Artifort. Produced in 1963, Harcourt's 042 chairs were featured in Stanley Kubrik's seminal film "2001: A Spa...
Steel
$8,221 / set
H 27.56 in W 33.47 in D 31.5 in
Newly Pierre Frey Upholstered Amanta Lounges by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Set of 2 iconic vintage Mid Century Modern Amanta lounges by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia. Newly upholstered in spectacular Pierre Frey fabric: CHROMA F4019017 - Pêche. Very sturdy a...
Fabric, Fiberglass
$13,990 / set
H 28 in W 27 in D 41.5 in
Percival Lafer MP-116 Modular Lounge Unit Set, Dark Leather, Brazil, 1973
By Percival Lafer, Sergio Rodrigues, De Sede
Located in Chattanooga, TN
A rare and beautifully preserved pair of Percival Lafer MP-116 modular lounge units, produced in Brazil in the 1970s. The MP-116 is one of Lafer’s most sculptural and technically sophisticated seating designs, celebrated for its distinctive pillow-block construction, deep gathered leather, and the refined engineering that defines his most collectible work. Pairs of MP-116 modules in matching condition are increasingly difficult to source, making this offering especially desirable for collectors and designers seeking original Lafer pieces. Each module is formed from four generously padded leather cushions that create the soft, architectural geometry characteristic of the MP-116 series. Upholstered in rich dark-chocolate leather, the cushions maintain their fullness and supple texture, presenting in very good original condition with the surface character and patina that only decades of careful stewardship can produce. The frames are crafted from solid Brazilian Jatobá hardwood, a dense and highly valued tropical species chosen by Lafer for its structural strength and warm, glowing tonality. The timber shows exceptional grain clarity and remains in outstanding condition. The MP-116 was conceived as a forward-thinking modular system, far more sophisticated than most mid-century modular seating. Each unit functions beautifully as an individual lounge chair, yet two modules together can create a sculptural loveseat, a low chaise-like configuration, or a striking asymmetrical arrangement suited to contemporary interiors. This pair offers the rare opportunity to acquire two perfectly matching modules from the same original owner, preserving the visual continuity and design intent of Lafer’s modular philosophy. The pair is accompanied by photocopies of the original 1973 Brazil Contempo...
Leather, Fruitwood
$7,300 / item
H 26.78 in W 37.8 in D 37.8 in
Camaleonda Lounge Chair in Boucle Wool by Mario Bellini, Sectional Sofa, 1970's
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Antwerp, BE
Camaleonda, Mario Bellini, vintage; modular camaleonda, newly reupholstered in bouclé wool; white; Postmodern; Lounge chair; Sofa; Seating element; Italian design classics; Postm...
Wool, Foam
$4,304 / item
H 25.2 in W 22.84 in D 28.35 in
Joe Colombo 'Multichair' in Orange 'Sprinkles Kvadrat' for B-Line
By Joe Colombo
Located in Tilburg, NL
Joe Colombo 'Multichair' in orange 'Sprinkles Kvadrat' for B-Line Multichair is a convertible system consisting of two individual elements that can easily turn into a conversation/r...
Fabric
Joe Colombo 'Multichair' in Black for B-Line
By Joe Colombo
Located in Tilburg, NL
Joe Colombo 'Multichair' designed in 1970 in black for B-Line Multichair is a convertible system consisting of two individual elements that can easily turn into a conversation/relax...
Fabric
$7,500
H 39.38 in W 29.53 in D 35.44 in
Rare "Eared" Lounge Chair by Bengt Ruda for Artifort, The Netherlands, 1960s
By Bengt Ruda, Artifort
Located in Utrecht, NL
This cosy midcentury lounge chair by Bengt Ruda is an exceptional find, as this “eared” version is one of the designer’s rarest designs. The combination of the Swedish designer’s IDE...
Fabric, Wood
Sold
H 20.87 in W 32.68 in D 33.86 in
Unique modular Sofa by Mangiarotti from the 'Casa Vitale', 1969 with certificate
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Beautiful and unique sculptural form five-piece modular sofa designed by architect, designer and sculptor Angelo Mangiarotti in 1969 for the 'Casa Vitale' in Milan, Italy. This sofa...
Steel