Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Nerone and Patuzzi furniture is a shining example of the experimental side of mid-century modern design. While the style is known mainly for its clean lines and simple forms, this Italian duo showcased how artistic it could be. Together, they designed beautiful abstract and figurative sculptures, as well as sculptural coffee tables and wall lights.
Gianni Patuzzi (1932–2022) and Giovanni Ceccarelli (1937–1996), who went by the name Nerone, worked together under the NP2 Group. They met while they were both students at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia and were acquainted again in Turin in 1959. The two struck up a fruitful partnership, and in 1962, they started the NP2 Group out of a studio in the Borgaro Torinese northwest of the city.
The idea behind the NP2 group was to integrate art with architecture and furniture making, bringing it out of museums and making it more accessible. The studio of the two young designers quickly became an exciting hub of innovation, attracting talented designers and artists like Marcel Breuer and Emilio Vedova.
In 1964, Nerone’s younger brother, Piercarlo Ceccarelli, joined the NP2 Group as a manager and administrator. Ceccarelli was instrumental in creating relationships with galleries, showrooms and architects throughout Europe and the United States. The group began receiving both public and private commissions.
By the late 1960s, the work of Nerone and Patuzzi was being exhibited around the world, earning recognition and awards. Their designs included everything from furniture and fittings to monumental sculptures. They utilized a wide range of techniques, including woodworking, metalworking and marble engraving.
Around this time, Nerone and Patuzzi began working on individual side projects, but they continued collaborating as the NP2 Group until 1974.
In an interview with the European Parliamentary Research Service in 2016, Patuzzi reflected fondly on his time collaborating with Nerone, remembering that they worked hard but with great enthusiasm.
On 1stDibs, find Nerone and Patuzzi decorative objects, tables, lighting and more.
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Travertine, Bronze, Metallic Thread
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Steel, Metal, Copper
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Wood
20th Century African Organic Modern Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Cowhide, Wood, Teak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Boxwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Bronze
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Aluminum
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Murano Glass
1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Wood
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Pottery, Terracotta
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Bronze, Metal
1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Murano Glass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Copper, Zinc
1960s Italian Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Nerone and Patuzzi Sculptures
Aluminum