Gio Ponti

GIO PONTI (Milan, 1891 - 1979).
Set of four "Leggera" silas, design ca. 1960.
Black lacquered wood.
Seat upholstered in mustard-colored fabric.
Measurements: 85 x 42,5 x 42,5 cm; 45 cm (seat height).

Conceived as a perfect synthesis of structural lightness and classic elegance, the "Leggera" represents Ponti's quest to refine form to the essential, without ever renouncing grace and proportion. With their slender silhouette, horizontal backrest lines and almost architectural presence, these chairs combine functionality and sophistication in impeccable balance. Ponti transformed a traditional Italian model into a contemporary icon, destined for both everyday use and the most demanding interiors.

Gio Ponti was a multidisciplinary creator and one of the key figures of 20th century Italian design, considered a pioneer of the Made in Italy concept. He studied architecture at the Politecnico and, after World War I, worked as artistic director at Richard-Ginori. In 1928 he founded his own studio and the influential magazine Domus, from which he set international trends for decades. In the 1930s he headed the Ponti-Fornaroli-Soncini studio, of modernist aesthetics. In 1950 he received the commission for the emblematic Pirelli Tower in Milan.