Glass Photo Frame attributed to Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte, Italy, 1940s
View Similar Items
Glass Photo Frame attributed to Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte, Italy, 1940s
About the Item
- Creator:Fontana Arte (Manufacturer)
- Attributed to:Pietro Chiesa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 12.21 in (31 cm)Width: 9.45 in (24 cm)Depth: 0.79 in (2 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Albano Laziale, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1813336848602
Fontana Arte
Best known for its elegant and innovative vintage lighting fixtures, the Milan-based firm Fontana Arte pioneered one of the key features of 20th-century and contemporary Italian design: the union of artistry and industry wrought by partnerships between creative talents — chiefly architects — and entrepreneurial businesses. Fontana Arte is further distinguished by having had as artistic director, in succession, four of Italy’s most inventive modernist designers: Gio Ponti, Pietro Chiesa, French transplant Max Ingrand and Gae Aulenti.
The bread and butter of the glassmaking company that Luigi Fontana founded in 1881 was plate-glass panels for the construction industry. In 1930, Fontana met Ponti — then the artistic director of the Richard Ginori ceramics workshop and the editor of the influential magazine Domus — at a biannual design exhibition that became the precursor to today’s Milan Design Triennale, and the two hatched an idea for a furniture and housewares firm. Fontana Arte was incorporated in 1932 with Ponti as its chief of design. He contributed several lamps that remain among the company’s signature works, including the orb-atop-cone Bilia table lamp and the 0024 pendant — a stratified hanging sphere.
The following year, Fontana Arte partnered with the influential Milan studio glassmaker and retailer Pietro Chiesa, who took over as artistic director. Chiesa’s designs for lighting — as well as for tables and items including vases and ashtrays — express an appreciation for fluidity and simplicity of line, as seen in works such as his flute-shaped Luminator floor lamp and the 1932 Fontana table — an arched sheet of glass that is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Six years after Chiesa’s 1948 death, the École des Beaux Arts–trained Max Ingrand took over as head of design at Fontana Arte. Ingrand brought a similarly expressive formal sensibility to wares such as lamps and mirrors, but he also had a masterful eye for the manipulation of glass surfaces — whether they be cut, frosted, acid-etched or sand-blasted. His classic design is the Fontana table lamp of 1954, which has a truncated cone shade and curved body, both of which are made of pure, chic white-frosted glass.
Following Ingrand, the often-audacious Italian architect Gae Aulenti served as the company’s artistic director from 1979 to 1996, and while she generally insisted that furnishings take second place aesthetically to architecture, she made an exception for Fontana Arte pieces such as the Tavolo con Ruote series of glass coffee and dining tables on wheels, bold lighting pieces such as the Parola series and the Giova, a combination flower vase and table lamp. As a key incubator of modern design under Aulenti’s tenure, Fontana Arte remained true to its long-held commitment — creating objects that have never been less than daring.
Find vintage Fontana Arte lighting fixtures such as pendants, table lamps and more on 1stDibs.
- Picture Frame in Faux Tortoise Lucite, ItalyLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioArt Deco style photo/picture frame in lucite faux tortoiseshell lucite with an S curved design. This piece seems to never have been used and appear as new. In very nice condition wit...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Art Deco Picture Frames
MaterialsPlexiglass, Lucite
$448 Sale Price45% Off - 1940s Murano Animal Glass Vase, ItalyLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioA unique Murano glass vessel that can be used as a vase, bottle or a candle holder in the shape of some kind of mystical fox in the front and a boat shape at the same time. Produced ...Category
Mid-20th Century Candlesticks
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Large Brutalist Pendant Attributed to Longobard ItalyBy LongobardLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioRare Brutalist style ceiling lamp attributed to Italian manufacturer Longobard in iron and colored glass. In good working condition. There are some small older cracks on a few pieces...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsIron
$3,076 Sale Price20% Off - Large Murano Scavo Vase Attributed to Seguso, ItalyBy Seguso Vetri d'ArteLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioLarge and heavy handmade vase in burnt orange and deep blue with the typical "sandy" mixture giving the piece a bit of a rough texture. The technique was developed for giving glass t...Category
20th Century Italian Classical Roman Vases
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Magazine Rack Attributed to Ico ParisiBy Ico ParisiLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioMid century 1950's foldable magazine rack in stained beech wood and brass detailing. Has been professionally restored.Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Midcentury Glass and Copper Wall Sconces, Made in ItalyBy Pietro ChiesaLocated in Albano Laziale, Rome/LazioWall sconces made in Italy in the 1950s in etched glass, copper and brass. With a dimmer switch these will spread a beautiful glow over any room. Can be polished to a shiny finish up...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBrass, Copper
$659 Sale Price / set25% Off
- No 1371 Picture Frame by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana ArteBy Fontana Arte, Pietro ChiesaLocated in New York, NYGlass, brass. Rare horizontal tabletop frame designed by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte. Elegant polished crystal panels with brass-banded fittings and stand. Vertical version availa...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass
- No 1370 Picture Frame by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana ArteBy Pietro Chiesa, Fontana ArteLocated in New York, NYGlass and brass. Rare tabletop frame designed by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte. Elegant polished crystal panels with brass-banded fittings and stand. Horizontal version also availa...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass
- 20th Century Pietro Chiesa Fontana Arte Photo Frame in Wood and Ground Glass 40sBy Fontana Arte, Pietro ChiesaLocated in Turin, TurinPhoto frame designed in 40s by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte. The photo frame is composed of two parts united as a "sandwich", one side is in ground glass, the back is in wood, the support is in brass. This frame is very rare for its dimensions. Perfect idea for wedding, birthday, anniversary or graduation gift...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass
- Fontana Arte photo frame, Italian 1940sLocated in London, GBPhotograph frame, stripes of distressed mirror mounted on sycamore. Italian 1940s Dimensions: H:29cm x W:31cmCategory
Vintage 1940s Italian Picture Frames
MaterialsMirror
- Photograph holder attributed to Pietro Chiesa for Fontana ArteBy Pietro Chiesa, Fontana ArteLocated in Lugo, ITPhotograph holder attributed to Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte Micro miss in upper right corner Thank youCategory
Vintage 1940s Italian Modern Mounted Objects
MaterialsGlass
- Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte Satinwood Glass Box, 1940By Fontana Arte, Pietro ChiesaLocated in Paris, IDFRare Italian Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte decorative box made in Italy in the 1940s. Carved from satinwood, with a thick polished aquamarine glas...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
MaterialsBrass