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.
Large Gaetano Pesce for Cassina 'Cannaregio' Modular Sofa
By Cassina, 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
Meritalia Senzafine Chair, Senza Blue by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Toronto, ON
The "Endless" Chair. Colourful tangles that give life to a geometric and dynamic seat. A series of joyfully inconsistent seats designed by Gaetano Pesce, and a manifesto of Meritalia...
Plastic
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
$44,338 / 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
543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Designed in 1993 by Gaetano Pesce, the 543 Broadway Chair is a rejection of hyper-rational industrial design. A master of resin and color, the Broadway chair features molded resin se...
Chrome
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
Gaetano Pesce ‘Dalila’ Blue Outdoor Armchair for Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The Dalila armchair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina is a striking outdoor reinterpretation of one of the designer’s most emblematic and artistically significant seating concept...
Plastic
543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Designed in 1993 by Gaetano Pesce, the 543 Broadway Chair is a rejection of hyper-rational industrial design. A master of resin and color, the Broadway chair features molded resin se...
Chrome
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
$31,537 / set
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
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
Meritalia Shadow Chair, Green by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Toronto, ON
The "Shadow" chair by Gaetano Pesce is an innovative piece of design, crafted by Meritalia. Like many of Pesce's works, it plays with form, colour and texture, aiming to create a uni...
Leather, Resin, Latex
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 result ...
Polyester
Gaetano Pesce Feltri Chair for Cassina, Wool Upholstery, Modern Design
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
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
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
$17,550 / item
Montanara Armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Montanara armchair evokes a poetic mountain landscape—its sweeping, snow-white contours and printed textile upholstery conjure peaks, rocks and alpine skies in an indoor setting....
Fabric
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
Meritalia La Michetta Composition 5 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
Senzafine Armchair & Pouf in Polyurethane Green by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Colourful tangles giving life to a geometric and dynamic seating. A series of joyfully inconsistent seats, a manifesto of Meritalia’s pop-modern identity. Senzafine - Italian for “e...
Plastic
Colorado Composition 2 Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colorado by Gaetano Pesce is a modular, combinable sofa defined by its playful volumes and vivid chromatic contrasts. Each element can be freely arranged to form linear or irregu...
Fabric
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
Meritalia Shadow Chair, Red by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Toronto, ON
The "Shadow" chair by Gaetano Pesce is an innovative piece of design, crafted by Meritalia. Like many of Pesce's works, it plays with form, colour and texture, aiming to create a uni...
Leather, Resin, Latex
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
Rare Feltri Chair by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
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
$29,502 / item
Montanara Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce
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
$13,071 / item
Nubola 238 Velvet Sofa in Blush-Navy 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
Original Shadow Armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia, Postmodern Icon
By Gaetano Pesce, Ligne Roset, Meritalia, Michel Ducaroy
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Shadow armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia is a highly collectible iconic masterpiece of Post Modern Design. The chair "deconstructed". Designed a...
Leather, Upholstery, Latex, Resin
$8,284 / item
Nubola 133 Velvet Sofa in Purple 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
Gli Amici Printed Cotton Fabled Armchair by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fabled creatures that make up a modular sofa. Sculptural and functional objects to characterize a light-hearted interior, and transform every room into an unforgettable adventure. G...
Cotton
" 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
Contemporary Italian 543 Broadway Chair & Ottoman by Gaetano Pesce Bernini, 1993
By Bernini, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Stockholm, SE
A rare Italian contemporary "543 Broadway" chair with a matching ottoman in red and yellow moulded resin seat and back, patinated steel base and feet in plastic with springs by Geata...
Steel
$6,493Sale Price|30% Off
Sit Down armchair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina 1975
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Sit Down armchair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina in 1975. Steel frame, molded plywood, cold-injected polyurethane, quilted polyester wadding fabric. Good condition, chair has ...
Steel
Gaetano Pesce Broadway Chairs 543 Made in Italy by Bernini 1993 Green
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Vancouver, BC
A set of 4 extremely uncommon Broadway Chairs produced by Bernini. Each chair is unique and both seat and back are casted in a green/yellow resin. A frozen fluidity - portrait of a...
Stainless Steel
Original Issue B&B Italia Armchair Series UP 2000 UP 3 by Gaetano Pesce, 1969!
By Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
Located in New York, NY
A Rare, Original Production of a design icon, Series Up 2000, Up 3 Armchair / Lounge Chair by the legendary designer Gaetano Pesce for the premiere Italian manufacturer, B&B Ital...
Upholstery, Foam, Beech
Meritalia La Michetta Composition 8 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
Armchair and Footstool UP5_6 by Gaetano Pesce for Superego Editions, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce, Superego Editions
Located in Milan, Italy
A large patinated bronze armchair casted with lost wax method with spherical footstool also known by the name 'Donna', foam model designed in 1969 by C & B, from 2012 limited edition...
Bronze
Nobody’s Queen Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Zerodisegno, 2003
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Created by Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce, the Nobody’s Queen Chair is a striking example of his long-standing exploration of individuality, material experimentation, a...
Resin
Colorado Composition 1 Sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colorado by Gaetano Pesce is a modular, combinable sofa defined by its playful volumes and vivid chromatic contrasts. Each element can be freely arranged to form linear or irregu...
Fabric
Meritalia Gli Amici, Canarino Pouf by Gaetano Pesce
By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Toronto, ON
Sculptural, fantastical and functional objects (creatures?) by Gaetano Pesce, suitable for a carefree interior. Unforgettable in any space. This is a new, unused piece. Manufacturer'...
Fabric, Foam
La Michetta Hook Back 127 in Metal 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...
Metal
Gaetano Pesce ‘Dalila’ Red Outdoor Armchair for Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The Dalila armchair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina is a striking outdoor reinterpretation of one of the designer’s most emblematic and artistically significant seating concept...
Plastic
Set of 2 Gaetano Pesce Dalila Beige Armless Outdoor Chairs for Cassina
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The Dalila armless chair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina is a striking outdoor reinterpretation of one of the designer’s most emblematic and artistically significant seating co...
Plastic
Broadway 9 legs chair by Gaetano Pesce for Bernini, 1993
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in PARIS, FR
Chair Broadway 9 legs by Gaetano Pesce for Bernini, 1993 Marked Gaetano Pece Bernini Numbered 61 Perfect condition
Resin
$11,466 / item
La Pagnottina Armchair by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Radical ideas and manufacturing wisdom: the perfect recipe to engineer comfort in the form of a chair. Legs in carbon fiber and upholstery in fresh printed cotton. The Pagnottina ch...
Cotton, Carbon Fiber
Two "I Feltri" B/Pink Lounge Chairs by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina, Italy, 1980s
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Milan, IT
Pair of iconic "I Feltri" chairs by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina. Wool felt body with movable cotton upholstery.
Felt
Endless Pouf by Gaetano Pesce, Red Plastic, Post-Modern Design, Italy
By Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia
Located in Toronto, ON
The "Endless Pouf". Colourful tangles that give life to a geometric and dynamic seat. A series of joyfully inconsistent seats designed by Gaetano Pesce, and a manifesto of Meritalia'...
Plastic
Gaetano Pesce per Bernini Coppia di Sedie "Broadway 543", Italia 1993
By Bernini, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Naples, IT
Gaetano Pesce's Broadway chairs, produced by Bernini, are unique pieces of 1990s design, created in 1993 (Model 543). This rare set of 2 multicolored chairs in excellent condition fe...
Steel
Broadway chair, Gaetano Pesce, Bernini, 1993
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in PARIS, FR
Broadway chair, Gaetano Pesce, Bernini, 1993 Gaetano Pesce ‘Broadway’ chair produced by Bernini with four rubber-capped feet standing on ...
Metal
$2,318 / item
UP1 armchair Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia 1969
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The UP1 Armchair, designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969 for B&B Italia, represents one of the most significant design icons of the 20th century. This armchair is part of the celebrated U...
Fabric
Meritalia La Michetta Composition 6 Sofa 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
$34,888 / 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
Cannaregio Modular Sofa with Footrest by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina, Italy 1986
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Halle, DE
Rare modular Cannaregio sofa by Gaetano Pesce. Postmodern / Memphis Design from 1986, manufactured by Cassina, Italy. Comes with original footrest in b...
Fabric
La Michetta Arm 73 Velvet Armrest Sofa in Musk 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
Meritalia Shadow White Armchair Padded in Soft Polyurethane Foam, Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Shadow armchair by Gaetano Pesce by Meritalia is moldless. It’s the result of a manufacturing process developed and perfected by Meritalia: the armchair is shaped with the inject...
Fabric
Original Sculpture / Seat Mod Up7 Designed by Gaetano Pesce, B&B Italia
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Ibiza, Spain
The large seat/sculpture mod. Up7, designed by the renowned Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce in 1969, represents a milestone in contemporary furniture design. Produced by B&B Italia as part of the UP series...
Plastic
Set of Four Gaetano Pesce ‘Dalila’ Red Armless Outdoor Chairs for Cassina
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This set of four Dalila armless outdoor chairs designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina presents a striking contemporary reinterpretation of one of the designer’s most emblematic and ar...
Plastic
Gaetano Pesce ‘Dalila’ Blue Armless Outdoor Chair for Cassina
By Gaetano Pesce, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The Dalila armless chair designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina is a striking outdoor reinterpretation of one of the designer’s most emblematic and artistically significant seating co...
Plastic
Meritalia La Michetta Composition 7 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
Gaetano Pesce La Smorfia Chair Meritalia, 2003
By Gaetano Pesce
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Postmodern chair designed by Gaetano Pesce and manufactured by Meritalia, Italy 2003. This unique shaped chair is more of a sculpture and fits perfectly in the oeuvre from Pesce, wit...
Metal