Items Similar to Selection of Willy Rizzo sofas available, we can restore, choose your own fabric.

Rare Vintage Super C Modular Black Leather Sofa by Willy Rizzo Italy

Paul Frankl Custom Sofa, Pair Available, 1940s

1 of 2 FINE NATUZZI BLACK LEATHER TWO SEATER SOFAS MATCING ARMCHAIR AVAILABLE

Willy Rizzo Italian Midcentury set of two Chairs Mid 70's

Fine Important Restored Pair of Antique Howard & Sons Leather Chesterfield Sofas

Danish Brown Leather 2 Seat Mid-Century Modern Sofa Armchairs Available

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 11

Selection of Willy Rizzo sofas available, we can restore, choose your own fabric.

About the Item

This iconic sofa was designed by Willy Rizzo in 1969 and is published in many of the interior design journals of the period. This design was illustrated in Casa Vogue's feature on Rizzo's own home in St Tropez,France in their October 1974 issue. The sofa is finished in brown suede. We have a further selection of these Willy Rizzo sofas (2 and 3 seaters) and matching lounge chairs and corner units in various colours and finishes which we have collected over the years, some of which need recovering. Please contact us with your requirements we can restore and you can choose your own fabric,suede etc. The price listed is just for the 3 seat sofa photographed. Literature:- CASA VOGUE, October 1974 (features this design in the home of Elsa Martinelli and Willy Rizzo in St Tropez,France). See image 9 CASA VOGUE , JUNE 1975 CASA VOGUE, September 1975 CASA VOGUE, November 1976 Willy Rizzo is best known as a photographer. He began his illustrious 20 year career with Paris Match in 1948 which lead to him photographing some of the greatest names of the period. Rizzo was married to italian actress Elsa Martinelli,which gave him unparalleled access to the star names of the period and his cornucopia of sitters would include among others Brigitte Bardot, Sofia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Salvador Dali,Pablo Picasso and Le Corbusier. His colour portrait of Winston Churchill made the cover of Paris Match. Herge even based the character of Paris-Flash photographer Walter Rizotto in Tintin’s adventure "The Castafiore Emerald" on Rizzo. In the late 60s, Rizzo focused instead on furniture design, opening the studio Willy Rizzo in Rome . His design's quickly enjoyed considerable success. His imagination and severe neo-classical style defines the Italian design style between 1965 and 1980 In the last few years there have been several major Willy Rizzo retrospective exhibitions held in New York,London, Monte Carlo and an exhibition at the fondation Le Corbusier in Paris on Rizzo's photographic work on Le Corbusier,

Creator:

Willy Rizzo (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 31.5 in (80 cm)Width: 82.68 in (210 cm)Depth: 43.31 in (110 cm)Seat Height: 9.85 in (25 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Suede,Wood

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

1960-1969

Date of Manufacture:

1969

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Original brown suede leather upholstery with minor user wear. We have several Willy Rizzo sofas available , we can restore these sofas and recover in a choice of your own fabric, suede etc. Please ask for pricing and current availability.

Seller Location:

bergen op zoom, NL

Reference Number:

Seller: 217 rizzo sofa1stDibs: LU9301743836

View Invoice

Shop All Willy Rizzo

Willy Rizzo

Renowned Italian furniture designer Willy Rizzo is celebrated for having produced eye-catching, sensational showpieces that merged plush fabrics with wood, metal and glass. Influenced by European modernists and drawing on the spare forms and clean lines of the American mid-century modern style, Rizzo prized functionality and simplicity in his dazzling work.

Born in Naples, Rizzo never intended on designing furniture. Instead, he began pursuing photography at the age of 12. By the 1960s, he had become a notable photographer, having captured images of such celebrities as Marilyn Monroe, Fred Astaire and Spanish artist Salvador Dalí. His experience with furniture design came about inadvertently when he moved to Rome in 1966. There, Rizzo rented an apartment with his wife Elsa that he described as "practically uninhabitable." Dissatisfied with the Scandinavian furniture options on offer, Rizzo built sofas, coffee tables and other furniture to suit the space's strong modern vibe. When his friends saw what he had accomplished, they were enamored by his furniture creations and commissioned him to build similar items for them.

The demand for Rizzo’s furniture grew from there. He established a production facility and workshop in Tivoli, just outside of Rome, which grew to house over 150 employees. There, finding inspiration in the work of iconic architects including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, he created more than 30 unique furniture designs. Over the years he opened boutiques around the world to showcase and sell his furniture.

Rizzo prided himself on seamlessly blending the contemporary with the classic. “It was about creating something new for a traditional setting,” he said of his work. From his sleek sideboards to his low-profile side tables, elegant chairs and entire living room sets, Rizzo's style sensibility is evident throughout every detail of his designs.

Rizzo sold his company in 1978 and returned to photography. However, the presence of his furniture resonated into the new century and is sure to impact interior décor enthusiasts into the next. Over the years, high-profile collectors of Rizzo’s work have included French actress Brigitte Bardot, Salvador Dalí and American musician Lenny Kravitz.

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Willy Rizzo tables, lighting, seating and storage pieces.