Ico Parisi for Cassina

ICO PARISI (Palermo, 1916–Como, Lombardy, 1996) for Cassina.
"856" Armchair.
Metal, wood, and leather.
In excellent structural condition, with signs of wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: 74 x 50 x 73 cm; 40 cm (seat).
The 856 Armchair is one of Ico Parisi’s most recognizable pieces and an excellent example of mid-20th-century Italian design. It was designed for Cassina around 1957–1958, during a period when Parisi was experimenting with lightweight structures and innovative construction methods. The most distinctive feature of the 856 model is its exposed metal frame, formed by curved profiles that support an apparently suspended upholstered section. The combination of a lightweight steel base with wooden sides creates a strong contrast between industrial technology and the warmth of natural materials—a hallmark of Parisi’s design language.
Ico Parisi was an Italian architect, designer, photographer, filmmaker, and artist, considered one of the most innovative figures in postwar Italian design. His work was characterized by a constant quest for integration between architecture, art, and design, combining functionality, experimentation, and a marked aesthetic sensibility. Initially trained as a construction technician, he completed his apprenticeship at the studio of the rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni—an experience that proved decisive for the development of his creative style. After World War II, he founded the studio La Ruota (1948) with his wife, the designer Luisa Aiani, from which he developed architectural, interior design, and furniture design projects for firms such as Cassina, Singer, Altamira, Longhi, and M.I.M. During the 1950s and 1960s, he created some of the most iconic pieces of modern Italian design, recognizable for their lightweight structures, organic lines, and refined use of materials such as solid wood. At the same time, he was intensely active in architecture and the arts, collaborating with figures such as Lucio Fontana, Bruno Munari, and Francesco Somaini.