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.
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Round The Clock L Ochre Mauve Light Ruby
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Round The Clock - Ochre, Mauve, Clear Light Ruby Clock in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design collection. Colour: Ochre, Mauve, Clear Lig...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Indian Summer Vase L Resin Clear Aqua, Mauve
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Indian Summer vase - Clear Aqua, Mauve Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Clear Aqua, Mauve Mate...
Resin
Contemporary Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Medusa M Vase Soft Resin White
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Medusa vase - Matt White Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: M - ø 16cm x H 26cm Colours: Matt white. Material: RESIN Vase in...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Indian Summer Vase L Resin Grey Turquoise
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Indian Summer vase - Clear grey, matt turquoise Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Clear grey an...
Resin
Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Indian Summer L Vase Soft Resin Clear And White
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Indian Summer vase, clear and matt white. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm. Colours: clear and matt wh...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Try-Tray Round Medium Celestial Blue, Terracotta
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in barasso, IT
Try Tray round - clear celestial blue, terracotta Tray in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Colours: Clear celestial blue, terracotta Dimensio...
Resin
Fish Design Watch Me Large Clock Clear Aqua, Fumè, Fluo Fuchsia by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Watch me - Clear Aqua, Fumè, Fluo Fuchsia Clock in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design collection. Color: Clear Aqua, Fumè, Fluo Fuchsia Dimensions: L - ø 42cm Mat...
Resin
$46,095 / item
Gaetano Pesce Tramonto A New York Sofa For Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Tramonto A New York Sofa For Cassina A 20th century design icon, symbol of the vitality, innovation and creativity of Italian design and one of its masters, Gaetano Pe...
Polyester
Contemporary Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Medusa L Vase Soft Resin White
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Medusa vase - Matt White Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - Ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Matt white. Material: RESIN Vase in...
Resin
$985 / item
Nugget Large Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in Milan, IT
This iconic design by Gaetano Pesce will make a singular, utterly captivating accent in a contemporary interior. A precious work of art, it belongs to the Fish Design Collection of s...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995
By Gaetano Pesce, Vitra
Located in Skokie, IL
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / Switzerland, 1984 / 1994. This example 70 /100 pieces produced. Materials: resin reinforced with fiberglass, stee...
Steel
Contemporary Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Medusa L Vase Soft Resin Red Pastel Blue
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Medusa vase, Clear Dark Ruby And Matt Pastel Blue Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L Ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Clear Dark R...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Armchair for Cassina, Wool Upholstery, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Chair For Cassina Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the...
Polyester
Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Big Collina Vase L Clear Aqua, Grey, Pastel Pink
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Big Collina Vase Extra Colour - Clear Aqua, Grey, Pastel Pink Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design 1995 collection. Measures: L - ø 40cm x H 24cm Colours: Cl...
Resin
Contemporary Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Medusa XL Vase Soft Resin White
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Medusa vase - Matt white Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: XL - Ø 30cm x H 56cm Colours: Matt white. Material: RESIN Vase i...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Vase L Resin Clear White
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti vase, clear, white. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: cl...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Pompitu II Vase M Resin Light Fuchsia Green
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Pompitu II vase, clear light fuchsia, matt dust green. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: M - ø 16cm x H 26cm Colours: Clear...
Resin
$1,035 / item
Indian Summer Large Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milan, IT
A strikingly singular addition to a personal art collection, this gorgeous vase is a veritable work of art of bold visual impact. Entirely crafted of soft resin, it boasts a magnific...
Resin
$1,080 / item
Nugget Large Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milan, IT
This stunning vase belongs to the Fish Design Collection of iconic, unique pieces designed by Gaetano Pesce. Chalice shape, it is strikingly han...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Clear Special Vase XL Resin Fuchsia Pink Lilac
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Clear special extra color vase - Clear pink, clear fuchsia, clear lilac, matt pink. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: XL - ø...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Pompitu II Vase L Soft Resin Light Fuchsia Matt Green
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Pompitu II vase, clear light fuchsia, matt dust green. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Clear li...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Set of 4 Table Mates Placemats Resin Bottle Green Fuchsia
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Table-Mates - Clear bottle green, fuchsia Set of 4 placemats in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Dimensions: L 50cm x H 38.5cm Material: RESI...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Indian Summer Vase XL Resin Orange Pink
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Indian Summer vase, clear orange, matt pastel pink. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: XL ...
Resin
Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Special Vase XL Soft Resin Red Blue
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti Special Vase - Clear aqua and coral red Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: XL - ø 30cm x H 56cm Colours: Clear aqu...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Clear Special L Vase Resin Mint Fuchsia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Clear special vase - Matt Mint and Clear Light Fuchsia. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - Ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Matt...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Clear Special Vase L Resin Yellow, Lime, Turquoise
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Clear special extra color vase - Clear yellow, matt lime, matt turquoise. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - Ø 22cm x H 3...
Resin
Spaghetti Extracolor Extra Large Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milan, IT
What could be more Italian than an abstract pile of spaghetti transformed into a stunning, cutting-edge design object. This soft resin vase was created...
Resin
$1,074 / item
Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Vase XL Resin Grey Yellow
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti vase, grey, yellow. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: XL ø 30cm x H 56cm Colours: Grey, yellow. Material: RESIN Va...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Pompitu II Vase L Resin Blue Orange
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Pompitu II vase, blue, orange. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Blue, orange. Material: RESIN ...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Vase L Soft Resin Red
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti vase, matt and clear red. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Matt and clear red. Mater...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Vase XL Resin Clear Gold
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti vase, clear and gold. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Picture showing L size. Measures: XL - ø 30cm x H 56cm Colours: Cle...
Resin
$1,080 / item
Clear Special Large Red Vase by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milan, IT
This stunning vase belongs to the Fish Design Collection of iconic, unique pieces designed by Gaetano Pesce. Chalice shape, it is strikingly han...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Spaghetti Vase L Resin Clear Gold
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Spaghetti vase, clear and gold. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Clear and Gold. Material: RE...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Round The Clock L Fuchsia Grey Aqua
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Round The Clock - Fluo Fuchsia, Clear Grey, Aqua Clock in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design collection. Color: Fluo Fuchsia, Clear Grey...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Set of 4 Table Mates Placemats Gaetano Pesce Blue Fuchsia
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Table-Mates - Clear blue, matt fuchsia Set of 4 placemats in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Dimensions: L 50cm x H 38.5cm Material: RESIN T...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Set of 4 Table Mates Placemats Resin Clear Grey Fuchsia
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Table-Mates - Clear grey, matt fuchsia Set of 4 placemats in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Dimensions: L 50cm x H 38.5cm Material: RESIN T...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Clear Special Vase L Resin Brown Fuchsia Pink Yellow
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Clear special extra colour vase - Clear brown, fuchsia, pink and matt yellow. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L - Ø 22cm x...
Resin
Limited Edition Tramonto A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Tramonto A New York sofa by Gaetano Pesce Manufactured by Cassina in Italy Limited Edition of 50 pieces Cassina revisits a 20th century design icon, symbol of the vitality, innovati...
Fabric
Contemporary Fish Design Gaetano Pesce Medusa L Vase Resin Light Blue Celeste
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Medusa vase, Light Blue, Celeste Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: L Ø 22cm x H 36cm Colours: Light Blue, Celeste Material:...
Resin
$36,268 / item
Gaetano Pesce Set of Three Feltri Felt Chair For Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Set of Three Feltri Felt Chair For Cassina Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the result of representati...
Polyester
Limited Edition Notturno A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Notturno A New York sofa by Gaetano Pesce Manufactured by Cassina in Italy Limited Edition of 50 pieces DESIGN TRIBUTE TO THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS The New York skyline in a sofa,...
Fabric
Gaetano Pesce Set of 4 Table Mates Placemats Resin Light Fuchsia Turquoise
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Table-Mates RO - Clear light fuchsia, matt turquoise Set of 4 placemats in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Dimensions: L 50cm x H 38.5cm Mat...
Resin
Contemporary Gaetano Pesce Set of 3 Triple Play Coffee Table L Red Blue Yellow
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in barasso, IT
Triple Play coffee table - Red, blue and yellow Set of 3 tables in hard resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection Colours: Red, blue, yellow Dimensions for ...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Armchair for Cassina, Wool Upholstery, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Felt Chair For Cassina Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the...
Polyester
$29,502 / item
Montanara Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Montanara modular sofa evokes a poetic mountain landscape—its sweeping, snow-white contours and printed textile upholstery conjure peaks, rocks and alpine skies in an indoor sett...
Fabric
Gaetano Pesce Set of 4 Table Mates Placemats Resin Clear Grey Fuchsia
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Table-Mates RO - Clear grey, Matt fuchsia Set of 4 placemats in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1998 for Fish Design collection. Dimensions: L 50cm x H 38.5cm Material: RESI...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Ogiva Vase Medium Resin Pink Bronze
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in barasso, IT
Ogiva Vase - Clear pink, bronze Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Colours: Clear pink, bronze Dimensions: ø 40cm x H 25cm Material: RE...
Resin
Gaetano Pesce Pompitu II Vase M Resin Blue Acid Green
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in barasso, IT
Pompitu II vase, blue, acid green. Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Measures: M ø 16cm x H 26cm Colours: Blue, acid green. Material: ...
Resin
Large Gaetano Pesce for Cassina 'Cannaregio' Modular Sofa
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gaetano Pesce for Cassina, sofa, model ‘Cannaregio’, multicolored upholstery, Italy, 1987 Large ‘Cannaregio’ sofa, designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina. The 1987 design is playful,...
Fabric
$4,050Sale Price / item|10% Off
UP7 FOOT Lounge Chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia - Gran Salotto by Duplex
By B&B Italia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 1969, Gaetano Pesce designed Il Piede (UP7), the final piece in his renowned Up Series, which featured seven iconic seating elements. Inspired by the shape of the human foot, this...
Foam
limited edition Tramonto A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Berlin, DE
1 of 50 limited edition Tramonto A New York Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina For the three-seater sofa, the padded skyscrapers are upholstered in an exclusive fabric with a raised t...
Fabric
$8,636Sale Price / item|40% Off
La Pagnotta Armchair in Carbon Fiber & Cotton by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Radical ideas and manufacturing wisdom: the perfect recipe to engineer comfort in the form of an armchair. Far from being traditional in design and production, the Pagnotta by Gaet...
Cotton
$11,952Sale Price / item|20% Off
La Michetta Composition 2 Sofa in Velvet by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Modular sofa, made of eclectic modules, available in different sizes and colours, which can be continuously rearranged according to taste and needs. La Michetta by Gaetano Pesce for...
Velvet
'Salvatore' Lamp by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in New York, NY
The "Salvatore" lamp by Gaetano Pesce embodies the artist's signature design that combines artistry and function. Handcrafted out of red and yellow resin and supported by a metal wir...
Metal
$52,371 / item
Gaetano Pesce Tramonto A New York Screen For Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gaetano Pesce Tramonto A New York Screen For Cassina Light shines over the city as the sun sets on New York. A kaleidoscope of colours streams through the windows of the skyscrapers...
Resin
Design Vase "Goto", Designer Gaetano Pesce, 1995
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Delft, NL
Design vase "Goto", Designer Gaetano Pesce 1995 Vase "Goto", sculpture-object in resin, designed by the Architect/Designer Gaetano Pesce, realized for the 'Caffè Florian' during t...
Plastic
$6,627Sale Price / item|20% Off
Nubola 133 Velvet Sofa in Yellow-Musk by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An elegant sofa, combining a solid seat with a soft backrest in polyurethane foam, moulded like puffs of a cloud. Available in three variants: two-seater, three-seater and single arm...
Velvet
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
Beautiful original Gaetano UP5 + UP6, marked and labeled. Chair and ottoman set, sold together. Incredible like new condition. Mint, exquisite condition. This is a truly stunning example of this chair. No blemishes. SHIPPING: We offer very competitive shipping rates, fast and well priced. We oversee all shipping ourselves, working closely with insured shipping air freight shippers to ensure smooth and safe delivery to you. This renowned UP5_6 armchair and ottoman from the UP 2000 series, crafted by Gaetano Pesce and reintroduced by B&B Italia in 2000, is a striking design chair and ottoman set that is essential for enthusiasts of vintage and modernist furniture. Often referred to as the "Big Mama Chair...
Fabric, Upholstery, Foam
Rare Feltri Chair by Gaetano Pesce
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Wien, AT
This iconic chair has been featured on numerous online platforms dedicated to modern art and design collecting. It represents a refined synthesis between artwork and functional objec...
Fabric, Felt
Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design (Special 1st Edition, Unopened)
By Gaetano Pesce, Paola Antonelli
Located in New York, NY
Special edition catalog accompanying an exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art New York from May 25-August 27, 1995. Organized and with text by MoMA curator Paola Antonelli. Edi...
Resin, Paper