As one of the founding fathers of modern Italian design, prolific architect and industrial designer Ludovico Magistretti (known by his nickname Vico) was guided by his philosophy, “There is no excuse for bad design.” His architectural projects are widely revered, and an ingenious meld of form and function can be found in his stylish and deceptively simple table lamps, sofas, armchairs and other mid-century furnishings.
Born in Milan, Magistretti followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather (both architects) to study architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. At the outbreak of World War II, he fled to Switzerland, and it was there he met his role model and mentor, renowned humanist architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers. Magistretti was inspired by Rogers’s vision to revive postwar Italy, and they collaborated on several reconstruction projects. Among Magistretti’s first architectural designs is a “poetic” round church, which he created for the QT8, an experimental Milanese neighborhood.
When Magistretti returned to Milan in 1945, he worked at his father’s architectural firm. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that he expanded his talents into design while working with furniture artisans.
In the 1960s, Magistretti began his 30-year working relationship with famed entrepreneur Cesare Cassina of the Cassina furniture manufacturing company. In their design approach, the two men shared a vision of the relationship between modernity and tradition and enjoyed a close bond (Magistretti designed Cassina’s luxurious villa in 1965). However, their friendship was not without contention.
Legend has it that upon seeing the prototype for Magistretti’s Maralunga sofa, Cassina hated it so much that he punched it, breaking the back of the sofa, which crumpled into itself.
“Right, great, it looks perfect to me like that,” an unfazed Magistretti allegedly responded, and the Maralunga’s slumped, adjustable-height backrest was born. Incidentally, the Maralunga sofa won Italy’s Compasso d’Oro award as did his Eclisse lamp for Artemide and his Atollo lamp for Oluce.
Magistretti died in 2006, but his designs live on in galleries, museums and private residences and offices around the world.
Find a range of vintage Vico Magistretti furniture and lighting on 1stDibs.
Vintage Dresser Model CS49 by Vico Magistretti for Poggi Productions Italy 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, Poggi
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage dresser model CS49 by Vico Magistretti for Poggi Productions, Italy 1970s dresser model CS49 is an original design dresser created by Vico Magistretti (Milan, 1920-Milan, 200...
Wood
$5,932Sale Price|44% Off
H 29.53 in W 63 in D 63 in
Square Walnut Table Model 781 by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 60s , 70s
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Padova, IT
Square walnut table model 781 by Vico Magistretti for Cassina 60s , 70s. Superb table in solid walnut, top in dark brown aniline. Cassina Spa is ...
Walnut
$854 / set
H 10.24 in W 19.69 in D 21.66 in
Vico Magistretti Stackable Tables T8 for Azucena, Italy, 1954
By Vico Magistretti, Azucena
Located in Labrit, Landes
Two stackable tables by Vico Magistretti for Azucena, Italy, circa 1954 Provenance from the estate of Italian designer and Architect Renato Magri friend ...
Wood
$6,998
H 15.75 in W 37.8 in D 50.4 in
Caori Coffee Table by Vico Magistretti Knoll International Gavina Black 1960s
By Vico Magistretti, Gavina
Located in Berlin, BE
Beautiful Coffee Table by the famous italian Designer Vico Magistretti called ,,Caori“ , manufactured by Gavina in the 1960s. The coffee table is made of lacquered wood. The top is i...
Metal, Stainless Steel
$6,101
H 15.95 in W 50.2 in D 37.6 in
White Caori Coffee Table by Vico Magistretti for Gavina, Italy, 1960s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Brussels, BE
White Caori Coffee Table by Vico Magistretti for Gavina, Italy, 1960s
Stainless Steel
$3,150
H 29.14 in Dm 47.25 in
Early fiberglass Tessera dining table by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, Italy
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Tel Aviv-Yafo, IL
Tessera is an assemblable table 72 cm high in reinforced resin whose circular top has a diameter of 120 cm and the column-shaped support ends with a flared base. Early fiberglass ve...
Fiberglass
$22,610
H 28.35 in W 102.37 in D 35.44 in
Roberto Poggi for Poggi, Model TL63 Solid Walnut Dining Table, Italy 1960s
By Poggi
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A monumental and architecturally striking TL63 dining table designed by Roberto Poggi for Poggi Pavia in the 1960s. Crafted entirely in solid walnut, this piece embodies a rare bala...
Metal
$418
H 9.45 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Demetrio 45 Coffee Table by Vico Magistretti, Italian Design, 1966
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in London, England
The Demetrio 45 coffee table, designed by Vico Magistretti for the Italian brand Artemide in 1966, embodies the genius of modern Italian design. Made of white plastic, this piece is ...
Resin
$10,000
H 11.82 in W 39.38 in D 39.38 in
Coffee Table in Wood, 1960, Italian, Attributed to Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Wood
$1,004
H 23.63 in Dm 19.69 in
Italian modern metal glass coffee table Vico Magistretti Cattelan Italia, 1980s
By Cattelan Italia, Vico Magistretti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern metal glass coffee table Vico Magistretti Cattelan Italia, 1980s Coffee table in metal, glass, and travertine. The frame is made of light blue painted metal. The top i...
Marble, Metal
Vintage Italian Space Age Plastic Bar Trolley, Orange, 1970s, 47cm
Located in Vienna, AT
Striking vintage plastic bar cart from the 1970s, a true testament to Italys iconic design era. Crafted in bold orange plastic, this circular trolley features two spacious shelves s...
Plastic
$1,315 / set
H 9.06 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Stackable Tables Modello Demetrio 45 by Vico Magistretti for Artimide, Italy
By Artimide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Delft, NL
Stackable tables Modello Demetrio 45 by Vico Magistretti for Artimide, Italy 3 Stackable tables, 2 tables in orange and 1 off white ...
Fiberglass, Polyester
$1,674
H 15.75 in W 39.38 in D 27.56 in
Vico Magistretti Arcadia White Rectangular Coffee Table by Artemide 1970s
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Arcadia 100 low coffee table with a rectangular shape (the squareshaped model 80 also exists) designed in 1969 by the famous Italian designer Vico Magistretti and produced by Artemide starting from 1970. The coffee table is made of reinforced resin. More exactly the material used is called GRP (Glass fibre Reinforced Plastic), a very resistant thermosetting plastic material consisting of a thick meshwork of glass fibres impregnated with polyester resin. The item is characterized by its S-shaped legs typical of the Magistretti's design poetics (shapes used in many other furnishings from the Selene chair to the Chimera lamp...
Plastic