Gaetano Pesce Feltri Armchair by Cassina
About the Item
- Creator:Gaetano Pesce (Designer),Cassina (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 51.19 in (130 cm)Width: 28.75 in (73 cm)Depth: 25.99 in (66 cm)Seat Height: 17.72 in (45 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Contemporary
- Production Type:New & Custom(Re-Edition)
- Estimated Production Time:14-15 weeks
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Barcelona, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1427231167452
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.
Cassina
Furniture manufacturer Cassina is a prolific design house for more reasons than one: It not only owns the licenses to an exquisite collection of iconic chairs, sofas, tables and other pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries but also produces original works that are characterized by innovation and the finest Italian craftsmanship.
Cassina’s illustrious legacy includes being one of the first companies to bring industrial design to Italy in the 1950s. Founded in 1927 in Meda, Italy, by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, the Italian manufacturing giant originally specialized in bespoke woodworking. In nearly a century since its founding, the company has shown incredible foresight about design trends and the evolution of technology.
In 1964, Cassina signed an exclusive licensing agreement to manufacture furniture by Le Corbusier and his collaborators — such as the LC4 chaise longue made with trailblazing French modernist Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret — a move that would shape the future of the company. Cassina’s I Maestri collection is an ongoing initiative to restyle landmark designs from the 20th century, such as pieces by Gerrit Rietveld (the Red and Blue armchair from 1918), Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Erik Gunnar Asplund, Franco Albini and Frank Lloyd Wright. The company preserves the intentions and original styles of their designs but adds updated techniques, materials and processes — rendering them the best possible combination of past, present and future. The brand has also worked with contemporary icons like Zaha Hadid, Gio Ponti and Philippe Starck.
Cassina’s original designs are cutting-edge as well. They include pieces for everyday use, the development of which is guided by comfort and the marriage of Italian craftsmanship with industrial technology.
Some of Cassina’s pieces, both from its contemporary and I Maestri collections, can be found in the collections of museums like the Museum of Modern Art and the Vitra Design Museum. In 2014, the company became part of Haworth in its acquisition of Italian furniture group Poltrona Frau, and in 2015, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola joined Cassina as its art director, leading the brand into its next century of inventive style.
Find a collection of new and vintage Cassina furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Barcelona, Spain
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Gaetano Pesce Feltri Armchair by CassinaBy Cassina, Gaetano PesceLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaArmchair model Feltri designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1987. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, F...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWool
- Gaetano Pesce Feltri Armchair by CassinaBy Gaetano Pesce, CassinaLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaArmchair model Feltri designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1987. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the result of representational research played out on the hybrid field between art and practicality. Made entirely of thick felted wool, this design armchair by Gaetano Pesce combines an enveloping pliable backrest with a rigid lower section; a quilted topper creates an inviting cocoon. Available in many versions, through quilt and structure combinations in different colors. The seat is attached to the structure with black hemp ties that also outline the upper borders of the chair. A familiar figure on many modern antiques’ and collectors’ sites, Feltri is a summation of thinking about figuration in the hybrid zone where the artistic meets the functional. One of a kind, this piece stands out for its enormous flexibility and for the fact that the mattress-like seat can be upholstered in wide array of fabrics. These can be mixed and matched with the six new colour options of the frame, to provide a total of ten colourways. Feltri was created within Cassina’s Research Centre, a place synonymous with experimentation and constructional avant-garde thinking. Here, Gaetano Pesce dedicated time and thought to the design, in the process thinking up a complex new manufacturing process that was later patented by the company. Created entirely from dense wool felt, the pliable, wrap-around back is all one piece. The lower section, meanwhile, is rigid and sturdy, thanks to being impregnated with a thermosetting resin. The seat is attached to the frame using hemp ties; these also extend around the chair’s upper part. A comfortable quilt, coupled with polyester wadding, serves to upholster the inner section of the chair. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colours differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: Gaetano Pesce was born in La Spezia in 1939. He studied architecture at the IUAV in Venice, and attended the Venice Institute of Industrial design. At this experimental school, he met Milena Vettore with whom he opened a studio in Padua, founding in 1959 the “N” Group which focussed on with studies in programmed art. He carries out research in the field of kinetic and serial art. He is in the theatre and the cinema, concerned with lighting, movement and sound as means of expression. Since 1962 he has worked in design, experimenting with new materials and unusual shapes. In 1971 he collaborated with BracciodiFerro (in the Cassina group) for the production of certain experimental objects (like Moloch, 1971, a table lamp blown up to the dimensions of an ironic and emblematic item). In 1972 he took part in the famous exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” at MoMA in New York, with a dwelling module. Experimentation and irony are also exhibited in his projects for Cassina, amongst which the Tramonto a New York sofa (1980) and the Feltri armchair...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWool
- Gaetano Pesce Feltri Armchair by CassinaBy Cassina, Gaetano PesceLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaArmchair model Feltri designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1987. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, F...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWool
- Gaetano Pesce Feltri Armchair by CassinaBy Gaetano Pesce, CassinaLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaArmchair model Feltri designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1987. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Crafted using a patented Cassina production technique, Feltri is a symbol of cutting-edge design, the result of representational research played out on the hybrid field between art and practicality. Made entirely of thick felted wool, this design armchair by Gaetano Pesce combines an enveloping pliable backrest with a rigid lower section; a quilted topper creates an inviting cocoon. Available in many versions, through quilt and structure combinations in different colors. The seat is attached to the structure with black hemp ties that also outline the upper borders of the chair. A familiar figure on many modern antiques’ and collectors’ sites, Feltri is a summation of thinking about figuration in the hybrid zone where the artistic meets the functional. One of a kind, this piece stands out for its enormous flexibility and for the fact that the mattress-like seat can be upholstered in wide array of fabrics. These can be mixed and matched with the six new colour options of the frame, to provide a total of ten colourways. Feltri was created within Cassina’s Research Centre, a place synonymous with experimentation and constructional avant-garde thinking. Here, Gaetano Pesce dedicated time and thought to the design, in the process thinking up a complex new manufacturing process that was later patented by the company. Created entirely from dense wool felt, the pliable, wrap-around back is all one piece. The lower section, meanwhile, is rigid and sturdy, thanks to being impregnated with a thermosetting resin. The seat is attached to the frame using hemp ties; these also extend around the chair’s upper part. A comfortable quilt, coupled with polyester wadding, serves to upholster the inner section of the chair. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colours differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: Gaetano Pesce was born in La Spezia in 1939. He studied architecture at the IUAV in Venice, and attended the Venice Institute of Industrial design. At this experimental school, he met Milena Vettore with whom he opened a studio in Padua, founding in 1959 the “N” Group which focussed on with studies in programmed art. He carries out research in the field of kinetic and serial art. He is in the theatre and the cinema, concerned with lighting, movement and sound as means of expression. Since 1962 he has worked in design, experimenting with new materials and unusual shapes. In 1971 he collaborated with BracciodiFerro (in the Cassina group) for the production of certain experimental objects (like Moloch, 1971, a table lamp blown up to the dimensions of an ironic and emblematic item). In 1972 he took part in the famous exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” at MoMA in New York, with a dwelling module. Experimentation and irony are also exhibited in his projects for Cassina, amongst which the Tramonto a New York sofa (1980) and the Feltri armchair...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWool
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- Vico Magistretti 905 Armchair by CassinaBy Vico Magistretti, CassinaLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaArmchair model 905 designed by Vico Magistretti in 1964. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A modern chair with a cultural heritage, expression of the creative genius of Vico Magistretti who designed it in 1964. 905 is an elegant chair made of solid wood and cowhide, where design translates to practical simplicity. Produced by Cassina until 2000, this chair has now been relaunched, the finishes and details having been updated from the original archive model. The sophisticated elegance of the frame, which features cylindrical legs and curved arm-rests, has been rejuvenated thanks to Cassina’s extensive experience in handling leather, not to mention the company’s high quality carpentry skills. The complex nature of this piece is expressed in a design that looks simple but fully reflects the genius quality of the original concept, a veritable masterpiece of the crafts tradition proper to Meda, in the Brianza area north of Milan, the trademark registered by Cassina and a guarantee of utmost quality. The frame, in finest quality wood, bespeaks the perfect combination of the artisanal tradition and premier CNC technology, while the overall design stands out for the self-supporting seat crafted from one single piece of saddle leather, curved and slotted into the frame. The decorative stitching has been discontinued, while the rear of the chair still features the leather belt that lends support to the back and enhances its comfort quotient. The 905 chair features a solid wood structure with cylindrical legs and curved armrests, joined to a self-supporting cowhide seat, the quintessential expression of the time-tested experience of the Cassina joinery and saddlery. A masterpiece of complexity, this cowhide chair symbolizes the company’s talent at perfectly blending traditional artisan craftsmanship and the cutting-edge technology of latest-generation 5-axis CNC machines. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: In 1920 Magistretti was born in Milan, the city in which he graduated in architecture in 1945, and where his professional career has spun its story ever since, chiefly in the fields of architecture, town planning and industrial design. The first recognition of his work came in 1948, when he won the Gran Premio at the 8th Triennale. After that came almost forty years of activity with other prizes and awards in recognition of Magistretti’s work in various sectors in different countries. Giving lessons and lectures in various faculties of architecture and schools of design in Italy and abroad, from Milan to New York, from Paris to London, a city to which he is particularly devoted, he has been an “Honorary Fellow” of the Royal College of Art since 1983. Furniture, lamps and other objects that he designed may be found all over the world and the most important design museums have given exhibitions in his honour and kept examples of his work in their permanent collections. Magistretti’s research has been continuous - into design, the culture of the project and innovative experimentation with materials and space solutions, not to mention shapes and functions far from the rigours of fashion that they have passed through during the years. He started designing for Cassina in 1960, and from that date on his signature is to be found on very many products. We recall in particular the Maralunga sofa of 1973 and the Nuvola Rossa...Category
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