Carlo Bartoli, Gaia armchair for Arflex

CARLO BARTOLI (Milan, 1931-2020) for Arflex.
Gaia armchair, 1967.
Fiberglass in a bright dark orange/red color.
In good condition, showing only slight signs of wear due to use and age, with no significant aesthetic or structural defects.
This design is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Measurements: 75 x 81 x 68 cm.

The Gaia armchair, designed by Carlo Bartoli in 1965 for the Italian firm Arflex, is a revolutionary piece that marked a milestone in the use of new materials during the Italian design explosion of the 1960s. Unlike traditional chairs, it does not have an internal structure of wood or metal; the fiberglass shell itself is what supports the weight, giving it an astonishing lightness and strength for the time. This material allowed finishes with an intense shine and vibrant colors (reds, whites, oranges), typical of the Pop aesthetics of the 60s.

Carlo Bartoli was a Milanese architect and designer whose career defined the excellence of Italian industrial design through a perfect balance between structural rigor and technical innovation. Considered a master of timelessness, Bartoli pioneered the use of cutting-edge materials such as polyester, fiberglass and polypropylene, creating world icons such as the Gaia armchair for Arflex and the 4875 chair for Kartell (the first to be injected entirely in this plastic). His philosophy of "silent design" shied away from passing fads to focus on ergonomics and durability, an approach that earned him the prestigious Compasso d'Oro and the presence of his works in the permanent collections of the MoMA in New York and the Pompidou Center in Paris, consolidating the hallmark of his studio, Bartoli Design, as a benchmark of functional elegance and geometric purity.