Domenico “Ico” Parisi was one half of a prolific postwar design duo he comprised with his wife, Luisa. Their furniture designs are known for running the stylistic gamut, with celebrated mid-century modern pieces ranging from elegantly skeletal — like dramatic ebonized dining chairs — to plush and shapely, like the iconic 1951 Egg chair, in a plethora of materials.
The son of an art teacher father, Ico Parisi was exposed to art at an early age. Born in 1916 in the Sicilian capital of Palermo, he and his family moved to Como in 1925. There, the young Parisi would begin to develop his interest in architecture and design. After earning a degree as a building inspector in 1936 and working as a civil engineer, Parisi took on an apprenticeship in the studio of Giuseppe Terragni, the modernist, fascist Italian architect, pioneer of the Rationalist movement and creator of the iconic Casa del Fascio.
While working for Terragni, Parisi crossed paths with such contemporary design talents as Lucio Fontana, Bruno Munari and Pietro Lingeri, though he briefly moved away from design and architecture to explore photography and film. His artistic work would soon be interrupted, however, by the outbreak of World War II, during which he served at the front before returning to Como in 1943. There, he resumed work as a designer and architect, founding two architecture groups: the Alta Quota and the Gruppo Como.
Through his creative circles, Parisi met Luisa Aiani, a former student of the prolific architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti, who was affiliated with the Alta Quota. They married in 1947 and founded the studio La Ruota — a cross between a design firm and an intellectual salon — in Como shortly thereafter. In 1950, Parisi finally completed his architectural schooling, studying under the nationalist architect Alberto Sartoris at the Athenaeum Architecture School in Lausanne, Switzerland. He and Aiani began several decades of sophisticated output, designing curved sofas upholstered in yellow velvet and armchairs with slender mahogany frames for enduring Italian manufacturers such as Cassina and others.
Much like Charles and Ray Eames in America, the Parisis worked as a team and relied on experimentation in style and material for many of their designs. Ico Parisi died in Como in 1996.
Find a collection of vintage Ico Parisi coffee tables, dining chairs and more on 1stDibs.
Pair of Ico Parisi MidCentury Modern Italian Armchairs for Ariberto Colombo, 50s
By Ico Parisi, Ariberto Colombo
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of iconic armchairs designed by Ico Parisi for Ariberto Colombo Cantù. Very elegant and comfortable, with upholstery redone in recent years but new upholstery is recommended.
Fabric, Beech
$13,440Sale Price|20% Off
Ico Parisi Settee, 1950's
By Ico Parisi, Ariberto Colombo
Located in New York, NY
Settee by Ico Parisi, c. 1950. This tailored sculptural settee is as stylish as it is comfortable. Poised yet relaxed, the contours of this sofa are remarkably body conscious and nat...
Wood
Ico Parisi, pair of rare egg sofas model 812, 177x77 cm, for Cassina, 1953
By Ico Parisi
Located in Como, CO
Ico Parisi (1916-1996) Pair of rare egg sofas Model 812 with brass feet Figli di Amedeo Cassina, Meda, 1953 The measurements of both are approximately 177x77 cm – height 80 cm Origi...
Brass
$4,094
H 33.47 in W 94.49 in D 64.97 in
Ico Parisi Mid-Century Modern Italian Corner Sofa for Ariberto Colombo, 1950s
By Ariberto Colombo, Ico Parisi
Located in Puglia, Puglia
L corner sofa designed by Ico Parisi for Ariberto Colombo Cantù. The sofa, as shown in the photo, is L-shaped, has a depth of 165cm and a length of 240cm...
Fabric, Beech
A Mid Century Modern Upholstered Settee, C. 1950.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Elegant and refined, this mid-century settee features splayed legs and sculpted wood armrests, framing a newly upholstered backs, arms and seat. The clean geometry, lightness of form...
Brass
$2,339Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 19.69 in W 28.35 in D 30.71 in
Ico Parisi Italian Midcentury Armchairs for Mim
By Ico Parisi, MIM Roma
Located in bari, IT
Set of four armchairs in white fiberglass Kubilia series of Ico Parisi for M.I.M. Rome, Italy. Ico Parisi was born in Palermo in 1916. He gained a diploma in construction and served his apprenticeship in Giuseppe Terragni's studio. In 1937 he carried out, for the magazine Quadrante, a photographic study of the Casa del Fascio that marked the entire research that Parisi conducted in "meditating on the legacies and contradictions of the enormous baggage of ideas and forms constituted by the experience of the masters". His activity, marked by continuous experimentation, is an incessant quest in the fields of architecture, art and design. Between 1948 and 1950 he devoted himself to the study of furniture elements. In the field of design, crucial encounters with Munari and Fontana (1951) and Melotti profoundly marked his experience. In 1948 he founded the studio La ruota with his wife Luisa Aiani, a designer and designer, which ceased its activity in 1995. In 1954 he was awarded the Gold Medal at the X Milan Triennale with the work Padiglione Soggiorno, with Silvio Longhi and Luigi Antonietti. In 1957 he presented at the exhibition Colori e forme della casa d'oggi the work Casa per vacanze, which was the result of a collaboration with Manlio Rho...
Velvet, Fiberglass
$2,292Sale Price / set|56% Off
H 33.47 in W 32.29 in D 31.5 in
Pair of Italian Midcentury Design Armchairs Black Fabric Ico Parisi Style
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Italian armchairs of 1950, wooden feet with brass tips, have been striped in black velvet with strips always the same tint.
Brass
$15,207 / set
H 29.53 in W 32.68 in D 29.53 in
Pair Armchairs Ico Parisi for Cassina, Italian Midcentury, "Model 865", 1955
By Cassina, Ico Parisi
Located in Rovereta, Repubblica di San Marino
Pair armchairs Ico Parisi for Cassina, Italian Midcentury, "Model 865", 1955 in pony skin
Steel
Italian Mohair Settee Sofa, Brown, 1950s
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful mohair upholstered curved sofa with wooden legs. Perfect shape and size. In excellent condition, 1950s, Italy. Same era as: Ch...
Mohair, Wood
$9,800 / set
H 28 in W 39 in D 32 in
Rare Ico Parisi Italian Modern Lounge Chairs for MIM - A Set of 3
By Ico Parisi, MIM Roma
Located in New York, NY
These rare lounge chairs were designed by Ico Parisi in the Mid-20th Century and produced by MIM (Mobili Italiani Moderni). The chairs are mahogany and bent plywood, with an elegant ...
Mahogany, Plywood
$10,528Sale Price|25% Off
H 35.04 in W 71.66 in D 18.12 in
Italian Bench / Settee with Wall Hanging Back, Italy, 1950
By Ico Parisi
Located in Milan, IT
Spectacular Italian bench / settee with wall hanging back, Italy, 1950.
Upholstery, Wood
$4,900Sale Price / set|58% Off
H 29.5 in W 28 in D 29.5 in
Pair of Italian Midcentury Lounge Chairs in the Style of Ico Parisi
By Ico Parisi
Located in New York, NY
Stunning pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern armchairs in the spirit of Ignazio Gardella's Diagramma and Ico Parisi 875 lounge chairs. The chairs feature...
Nickel
Mid-Century Modern Italian Bouclè Settee, 1950s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
This sofa has been completely restored with new padding and upholstered in Bouclè fabric, as shown in the photo; the arms and feet are in curved walnut, also restored and polished. Guglielmo Ulrich. Born in Milan in 1904 to Alberto and Luisa Battaglia. Coming from a noble family...
Bouclé, Walnut
Finnish Modern, Settee, Beige Velvet, Wood, Finland, 1950s
Located in Manhasset, NY
Finnish Mid-Century Modern, Settee, Beige Velvet, Wood, Finland, 1950s A two seater channel back settee designed and produced in Finland in the middle of the 20th century. This examp...
Velvet, Wood
Tentazione Sofa by Mario Bellini for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in New York, NY
Tentazione sofa designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina, 1970s. Sofa has been reupholstered in a navy crushed velvet. Retains original Cassina label underneath.
Velvet
Sold
H 33.47 in W 90.56 in D 33.47 in
Curved Sofa by Ico Parisi in Newly Upholstered Teddy Fabric, Italy 1950s
By Ico Parisi
Located in Almelo, NL
Curved sofa by Ico Parisi in newly upholstered teddy fabric, Italy 1950s Italian 1950s curved sofa, attributed to Ico Parisi .(also sometimes attributed to Federico Munari). This...
Fabric, Beech
Sold
H 33.86 in W 35.83 in D 33.86 in
Pair of Ico Parisi Mid-Century Modern Curved Armchairs for Ariberto Colombo, 50s
By Ico Parisi, Ariberto Colombo
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of iconic armchairs designed by Ico Parisi for Ariberto Colombo Cantu. Very elegant and comfortable, with velvet upholstery, a new upholstery is recommended.
Velvet, Beech
Sold
H 31.5 in W 81.5 in D 40.16 in
Ico Parisi Mid-Century Modern Italian Curved Sofa for Ariberto Colombo, 50s
By Ico Parisi, Ariberto Colombo
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Three seater sofa designed by Ico Parisi for Ariberto Colombo Cantu, 1950s production. Very elegant and comfortable, upholstery and cushions to be redone.
Velvet, Beech
Ico Parisi Curved Four-Seat Sofa
By Ariberto Colombo, Ico Parisi
Located in London, GB
An Ico Parisi curved four-seat sofa with six pointed mahogany legs. Newly upholstered in Designers Guild geometric velvet grey fabric. Manufactured b...
Fabric, Mahogany
Sold
H 29.53 in W 31.5 in D 64.97 in
Ico Parisi for Cassina, Italian Mid-Century, Grey "Model 865" Sofa, 1955
By Cassina, Ico Parisi
Located in Milan, IT
Prized "model 865" sofa by Ico Parisi, designed for Cassina in 1955. A unique tubular structure holds two streamlined elements in this sought sofa by Ico Parisi. The metal structure...
Metal
Ico Parisi 'Lord' Settee
By Ico Parisi
Located in San Francisco, CA
A “Lord” settee of walnut and upholstery by Ico Parisi for Fratelli Reguitti.
Walnut, Wool