Pair of vintage "Incontro 5080" armchairs in wood and leather by Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Bernini

Exquisite pair of armchairs model "Incontro 5080" design Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Bernini. Simple structure typical of modern Italian design. Since its founding, Bernini has worked with precious woods, as in this case, since the main body is configured with curved walnut sheets. For its part, black leather is used for the interior of the seat, backrest and armrests. At the bottom, four wheels with a metal structure for greater practicality. Italian designers used new industrial technologies, combining functionality with simplicity, to create all types of objects, from buildings to furniture to various household objects, many of which have become iconic designs. Massimo Vignelli (1931-2014) and his wife Lella (1934-2016) worked as graphic designers and advertising consultants for Knoll during the 1970s, achieving worldwide recognition. In addition, this couple collaborated on a multitude of furniture projects. His New York-based studio, Vignelli Associates, applies a modern aesthetic that reflects clarity, beauty and functionality. Bernini Founded in 1904 in Libiola, Italy, Bernini began mainly producing tools, hardware and wooden furniture, always demonstrating his deep knowledge of carpentry. After the First World War the firm began to work with architects such as Giovanni Muzio or Gio Ponti to produce artisanal and exclusive custom-made pieces. In the late 1950s, Bernini began mass-producing furniture and obtained different licenses to manufacture products designed by great artists. The collaboration with Gianfranco Frattini generated Bernini's first furniture collection (1960), which included tables, chairs and shelves, creating a link between traditional typologies and modern forms. Even before her move in 1965 to Carate Brianza, Bernini had begun to expand her range of innovative plastic furniture. One of the first designs in this category was the Nastro CL9 armchair by Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi (1961). Rodolfo Bonetto's modular Quattro quarti table (1969) and Gaetano Pesce's deliberately imperfect Broadway chairs (1993) attest to a continuing interest in new, unconventional materials and forms. But the company's preferred material continued to be precious woods. They were used for Joe Colombo's Combi-Center (1963/64), as well as for the Castiglioni brothers' Rampa multifunctional cabinet (1965). Bernini embarked on a major collaboration with architect Carlo Scarpa in the 1960s and continues to produce many of her furniture designs today. The house's most recent designers include Karim Rashid and Toshiyuki Kita. In addition to mass-produced furniture, the Bernini Museum Workshop brand also manufactures specialized display products for museums. Bernini [website]. Italian design, Bernini, Company catalog (Carate Brianza, 1995). Dimensions: 94 x 62 x 60 cm. / Seat height: 40 cm. Reference : 307113