Mario Bellini Canapes
Milan-born architect and designer Mario Bellini just may be the closest thing to a modern-day Renaissance man: His creative output spans genres, from electronics to furniture to architecture to cars, comprising iconic designs in each. Vintage Mario Bellini sofas, dining chairs and other seating pieces are widely coveted, and the designer has been the recipient of multiple prestigious Compasso d’Oro awards. More than 20 of his works are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Born in 1935, Bellini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan before founding his own firm in his native city in the early 1960s. He soon branched out beyond architecture, however, first for the tech manufacturer Olivetti, where he served as chief industrial design consultant from 1963 to 1991. During that time, Bellini oversaw the design of some of Olivetti’s most popular typewriters.
His penchant for electronic design didn’t stop there: Bellini also designed cameras for Fuji, televisions for Brionvega and a slew of audio devices for Yamaha, then served as design consultant for Renault and devised the interior of the 1980 Lancia Trevi for Fiat. Meanwhile, his architecture work spans continents, including such modern gems as the Museum of Islamic Arts at the Louvre, the National Gallery of Victoria extension in Melbourne, the Dubai Creek Complex and the Milan Convention Centre in his hometown.
And then there’s the furniture: Over the last 70 years, Bellini has designed office furniture for Vitra; lamps for Artemide, Erco and FLOS; porcelain for Rosenthal and long-admired sofas and other seating for Kartell, Natuzzi, B&B Italia, Cassina and more.
His oft-imitated 1977 Cab chair for Cassina, comprising 16 individual pieces of saddle leather that create a “skin” over a minimal metal frame, remains one of the manufacturer’s best sellers today. His pudgy-legged, round tables for Cassina foreshadow Faye Toogood’s widely loved Roly Poly line. His postmodern Summa armchairs for Kartell, as well as his elegant Chiara floor lamp, still lure collectors on vintage furniture websites.
Bellini’s most famous contribution to furniture design, though, may be his 1970 Camaleonda sofa for B&B Italia (then C&B Italia). An entrant to the 1972 MoMA show “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape,” the seat takes its name from the Italian words for chameleon and wave. Its bulbous, modular form makes it infinitely flexible. The sofa was a runaway hit at the show and, once discontinued, remained so popular among vintage dealers that B&B Italia reissued it in 2020 with all recycled materials and interchangeable seat covers. “Of all the objects I have designed, Camaleonda is perhaps the best in terms of its sense of freedom,” Bellini said.
Browse an expansive collection of vintage Mario Bellini furniture — including dining tables, armchairs, mid-century sofas and more — today on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric, Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Leather
1970s Italian Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Plastic, Velvet
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Bouclé, Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Foam, Suede
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Faux Fur, Foam
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Bouclé, Plastic
Mid-19th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Antique Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric, Burlap, Foam
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Foam
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Velvet, Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Mario Bellini Canapes
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mario Bellini Canapes
Leather, Foam
Mid-20th Century Italian Organic Modern Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric, Cord, Foam, Plywood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Mario Bellini Canapes
Wool
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Mario Bellini Canapes
Fabric
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mario Bellini Canapes
Faux Leather, Leather
Mario Bellini canapes for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023Whether or not a Mario Bellini sofa is comfortable is largely a matter of personal opinion. However, many people find that the designer's sofas provide plush support due to their thick backrests and seat cushions. With its sumptuous tufted cushions, seductive low profile and endless rearrangement possibilities, the Bellini–designed Camaleonda sofa, for example, is infinitely flexible and can double as sculpture in any interior. Shop a selection of Mario Bellini furniture on 1stDibs.