Lava" vase L by Gaetano Pesce
About the Item
- Creator:Gaetano Pesce (Designer),Corsi Design Factory (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 13.39 in (34 cm)Width: 11.82 in (30 cm)Depth: 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2022
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Rivoli, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7863237413392
Gaetano Pesce
Gaetano Pesce is of a generation of Italian architects who in the early 1960s rebelled against the industrial perfection of modernism by conceiving new furniture and objects that were at once expressive and eccentric in form; or you might say they were more like art than functionalist design.
Born in the picturesque coastal Italian city of La Spezia in 1939, Pesce was a precocious talent who could have forged a career as an artist but opted instead to go to Venice to study architecture because, as he has said, it was “the most complex of all the arts.” Rather than having new worlds opened to him at design school, however, he found the rationalist curriculum oppressive in its insistence on standardization and prescribed materials and technologies.
Pesce wanted to explore the latest of both materials and technologies to create objects and buildings never before imagined, with what he called “personalities” that spoke to the issues of the day. He was keen to examine ways to diversify mass production so that each manufactured work could be distinct.
In 1964, Pesce met Cesare Cassina, of the forward-looking furniture company C&B Italia in Milan (now known as B&B Italia), for whom he would create many important designs, beginning with a collection of what he called “transformational furniture” — two chairs and a loveseat — made entirely out of high-density polyurethane foam. To make the pieces easy to ship and cost-efficient, he proposed that after being covered in a stretch jersey, they be put in a vacuum, then heat-sealed flat between vinyl sheets. Once the foam was removed from its packaging, the piece returned to its original shape — hence, the name Up for the series, which debuted in 1969.
In addition to these pieces, Pesce proposed for the collection something he referred to as an “anti-armchair,” which took the shape of a reclining fertility goddess, the iconic Donna. Producing its complex form turned out to be a technical challenge. Bayer, the foam’s manufacturer, deemed it impossible to accomplish. Pesce persisted and came up with a new procedure, demonstrating not only the designer’s key role in researching the nature and potential of new materials but also his vital importance in “doubting rules.” The Up chair and accompanying ottoman were born, and they were revolutionary in more ways than one.
In the early 1970s, Pesce began exploring one of his key concepts, the idea of the industrial originals. Employing a mold without air holes, and adding a blood-red dye to the polyurethane, he cast a bookcase that resembled a demolished wall, the rough edges of the shelves and posts resulting from fissures in the material made by trapped air. Through his research into polyurethane, Pesce figured out a way to make a loveseat and armchair using only a simple wood frame and strong canvas covering as a mold. Since the fabric developed random folds during the injection process, the pieces were similar but not identical. Cassina named the suite of furnishings Sit Down and introduced it in 1975. By experimenting with felt soaked in polyurethane and resin, Pesce conceived I Feltri, another collection of armchairs introduced by Cassina in 1987.
Pesce has gone on to live a life that defies expectation and convention and along the way has become one of the most seminal figures in art and design.
Find vintage Gaetano Pesce chairs, sofas, vases and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Rivoli, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Nobody's Perfect chair by Gaetano Pesce for ZerodisegnoBy Gaetano Pesce, ZerodisegnoLocated in Rivoli, ITBeautiful small chair made by Gaetano Pesce for Zerodiegno in 2003. Decorated in shades of white, red and silver, it lends a touch of elegance to the room in which it is placed. Usab...Category
Early 2000s Chairs
MaterialsResin
- Sculpture by Gaetano for Cassina 1963By Gaetano Pesce, CassinaLocated in Rivoli, ITOriginal art sculpture designed by Gaetano Pesce; signed and dated 1963, Per Cassina 1968-1963. Red frame with lamented wood on metal feet.Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsWood
- Venini "Shiny Fabric" Vase by Carlo ScarpaBy Carlo Scarpa, VeniniLocated in Rivoli, ITBeautiful and rare bottle-shaped vase from the "shiny fabric" series in the color antique red born from the artistic creation of Carlo Scarpa. Hand-blown glass vase worked with two-t...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Vases
MaterialsGlass, Murano Glass
- Vaso Venini "Tessuto lucido" di Carlo Scarpa e Paolo VeniniBy Carlo Scarpa, Venini, Paolo VeniniLocated in Rivoli, ITBellissimo e raro vaso della serie "tessuto lucido" nel colore rosso antico nato dalla collaborazione artistica di Carlo Scarpa e Paolo Venini. Vaso in vetro soffiato lavorato a mano...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Vases
MaterialsGlass, Murano Glass
- Cuore & Cuoricino Heart Vases by Maria Christina Hamel for Salviati, 1990sBy Maria Christina Hamel 1Located in Rivoli, ITBeautiful and rare set of three vases in hand-shaped and hot-finished sommerso glass Cuore 28x28x15 Cuoricino 14x14x6 Cuoricino 12x11x6.Category
1990s Italian Modern Glass
MaterialsArt Glass
- Lounge Table by Poltrona FrauBy Poltrona FrauLocated in Rivoli, ITRare coffee table signed Poltrona Frau in Tuscan leather. Discontinued model. Excellent vintage condition. Coffee table with a good presence and mult...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Nugget Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITThis stunning vase belongs to the Fish Design Collection of iconic, unique pieces designed by Gaetano Pesce. Chalice shape, it is strikingly han...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
- Spaghetti Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITDelightfully mouthwatering, this vase is a tribute to traditional Italian cuisine. An absolute artwork by Gaetano Pesce for the Fish Design Collection, it features a semi-transparent...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
- Nugget Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITThis iconic design by Gaetano Pesce will make a singular, utterly captivating accent in a contemporary interior. A precious work of art, it belongs to the Fish Design Collection of s...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
- Rock Red Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITA strikingly singular addition to a personal art collection, this gorgeous vase is a veritable work of art of bold visual impact. Entirely crafted of soft resin, it boasts a magnific...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
- Indian Summer Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITA strikingly singular addition to a personal art collection, this gorgeous vase is a veritable work of art of bold visual impact. Entirely crafted of soft resin, it boasts a magnific...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
- Big Collina Large Vase by Gaetano PesceBy Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design FactoryLocated in Milan, ITA veritable work of art, this stunning vase belongs to the Fish Design Collection of iconic, unique pieces designed by Gaetano Pesce. Boasting a capacious, chalice shape, it is strik...Category
2010s Italian Vases
MaterialsResin
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Ruth Lande Shuman’s Manhattan Apartment Is a Happy Rainbow — Thanks to Gaetano Pesce
Over the years, Shuman has filled her Park Avenue penthouse with the Italian designer's radically colorful creations. Here's how it all came to together.
With Their Rambunctious Faux Naïf Aesthetic, Young Makers Are Changing the Way We Think about Design
Following in the footsteps of Italian master Gaetano Pesce, these mostly millennial talents are embracing an intentionally imperfect style with wildly creative results.