Pietro Chiesa
Italian modernist designer best known for his glass furnishing pieces
Pietro Chiesa (born 1892, Milan–died 1948, Paris) was a leading Italian Modernist and Art Deco designer best known for his artistic glass furnishing pieces. He belonged to the Swiss Ticino family of artists. He studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and then trained as an apprentice at the studio of furniture designer Giovanni Battista Gianotti. In 1921, he opened his own studio in Milan, the Bottega di Pietro Chiesa, and showcased his work at the seminal 1925 Paris Exposition. While running the Bottega di Pietro Chiesa, he also completed some major projects, such as designing and crafting the windows for the Trieste Stock Exchange and those for the ocean liner Conte di Savoia. read more
In 1925, he exhibited his work for the first time at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. In 1927, Chiesa partnered with a number of prominent Milanese architects and designers, including Michele Marelli, Gio Ponti, Tomaso Buzzi, Emilio Lancia, and Paolo Venini, to cofound Il Labirinto, a collaborative effort that produced highly creative furnishings in a style that came to be known as the Novecento.
In 1932, Gio Ponti approached Pietro Chiesa to join him and Luigi Fontana—who were partners of Luigi Fontana SA, one of the largest manufacturers artistic stained-glass products in Italy–to become the company’s artistic director. In 1933, Pietro Chiesa merged the Bottega di Pietro Chiesa with Luigi Fontana SA, and together, Chiesa, Luigi Fontana, and Gio Ponti formed Fontana Arte which specialized in furniture, lighting, glass windows, and furnishing accessories.
It was during Chiesa’s tenure as artistic director of Fontana Arte that he created hundreds of extremely creative pieces—all bearing his imprimatur of the highest excellence in glass craftsmanship and the techniques he applied to modern materials. His most well-known pieces include the Fontana table, which was made from a single band of bent clear glass; the Cartoccio vase; and the lacquered brass Luminator floor lamp. Despite the obvious modernity of most of his pieces, one can see how Chiesa was influenced by the classical forms. He also created what would become Fontana Arte’s signature colors of the time, deep blue and green, which Chiesa integrated successfully into many of his creations.
Pietro Chiesa remained artistic director of Fontana Arte, until his unexpected death in Paris in 1948, and his artistic impact deeply influenced Max Ingrand, who became artistic director of Fontana Arte after his death.
For more information on Pietro Chiesa, please visit the following:
Pietro Chiesa at Fontanaarte
Pietro Chiesa at Pietrochiesa.com
Last updated: February 6, 2020
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products
Pietro Chiesa's products
Pietro Chiesa's products
Pietro Chiesa
Chest of drawers
Pietro Chiesa
Wall lamp
Pietro Chiesa
Floor lamp
Pietro Chiesa
Rare low table
Pietro Chiesa
Pair of sconces
Fontana Arte
Mirror
Pietro Chiesa
Luminator - floor light
Pietro Chiesa
Wooden box, mod. 2194 for Fontana Arte
Pietro Chiesa
Disk chandelier
Pietro Chiesa
Mirror for Fontana Arte
Pietro Chiesa
blue mirror
Pietro Chiesa
Mirror
Pietro Chiesa
Chest of drawers
Pietro Chiesa
Wall lamp
Pietro Chiesa
Floor lamp
Pietro Chiesa
Rare low table
Pietro Chiesa
Pair of sconces
Fontana Arte
Mirror
Pietro Chiesa
Luminator - floor light
Pietro Chiesa
Wooden box, mod. 2194 for Fontana Arte
Pietro Chiesa
Disk chandelier
Pietro Chiesa
Mirror for Fontana Arte
Pietro Chiesa
blue mirror
Pietro Chiesa
Mirror
Max Ingrand - Fontana Arte
Ceiling light mod. 1874 by Fontana Arte
Max Ingrand
Fontana Arte Pendant light model 2098
Max Ingrand
Rare illuminated mirror, model 2044
Max Ingrand
Beige mirror model 2273 by Fontana Arte
Gio Ponti
Coffee table no. 1101
Max Ingrand
Omai - Table lamp with vase, model 2260
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Mirror, model 2273
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Vase/candleholder, mod. 2329
Gio Ponti
Rare coffee table
Max Ingrand
Bar cart
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Blue vase
Gio Ponti
Dining chairs model 111 - set of 6
Max Ingrand
Brass table lamp
Gio Ponti
Glass coffee table
Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti
Chiavi e pistole - chair
Gio Ponti
Luna - lamps from Villa Arreaza, Caracas
Gio Ponti
Desk/vanity
Max Ingrand
Table lamp model 2206
Gio Ponti
Luna - pair of lamps, from Villa Arreaza
Gio Ponti
Balletto Alla Scala fabric
Gio Ponti
Balletto Alla Scala fabric - burgundy
Gio Ponti
Cabinet and Sideboard for Singer & Sons
Gio Ponti
Headboard and Daybed
Gio Ponti
Gatto - (cat)
Maxi Ingrand
Oval mirror made by Fontana Arte
Gio Ponti
Rare chair for Vembi Burroughs
Gio Ponti
Pair of armchairs model 504
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Uccello - (bird)
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Cavallo - (horse)
Gio Ponti
Poesia del Mare–turquoise fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Poesia del mare-black & white pattern
Gio Ponti
Diavolo - decorative objects
Gio Ponti
Set of 4 dining chairs model 646/2
Max Ingrand
Arlecchino - mirror
Gio Ponti
Set of 6 dining chairs model 646/2
Gio Ponti
Cristalli fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Estate - fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Legge Mediterranea fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Eclissi fabric pattern
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Mirror, model 2273
Max Ingrand - Fontana Arte
Ceiling light mod. 1874 by Fontana Arte
Max Ingrand
Fontana Arte Pendant light model 2098
Max Ingrand
Rare illuminated mirror, model 2044
Max Ingrand
Beige mirror model 2273 by Fontana Arte
Gio Ponti
Coffee table no. 1101
Max Ingrand
Omai - Table lamp with vase, model 2260
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Mirror, model 2273
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Vase/candleholder, mod. 2329
Gio Ponti
Rare coffee table
Max Ingrand
Bar cart
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Blue vase
Gio Ponti
Dining chairs model 111 - set of 6
Max Ingrand
Brass table lamp
Gio Ponti
Glass coffee table
Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti
Chiavi e pistole - chair
Gio Ponti
Luna - lamps from Villa Arreaza, Caracas
Gio Ponti
Desk/vanity
Max Ingrand
Table lamp model 2206
Gio Ponti
Luna - pair of lamps, from Villa Arreaza
Gio Ponti
Balletto Alla Scala fabric
Gio Ponti
Balletto Alla Scala fabric - burgundy
Gio Ponti
Cabinet and Sideboard for Singer & Sons
Gio Ponti
Headboard and Daybed
Gio Ponti
Gatto - (cat)
Maxi Ingrand
Oval mirror made by Fontana Arte
Gio Ponti
Rare chair for Vembi Burroughs
Gio Ponti
Pair of armchairs model 504
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Uccello - (bird)
Gio Ponti and Paolo de Poli
Cavallo - (horse)
Gio Ponti
Poesia del Mare–turquoise fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Poesia del mare-black & white pattern
Gio Ponti
Diavolo - decorative objects
Gio Ponti
Set of 4 dining chairs model 646/2
Max Ingrand
Arlecchino - mirror
Gio Ponti
Set of 6 dining chairs model 646/2
Gio Ponti
Cristalli fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Estate - fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Legge Mediterranea fabric pattern
Gio Ponti
Eclissi fabric pattern
Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte
Mirror, model 2273
bibliography
Franco Deboni
Fontana Arte. Giò Ponti, Pietro Chiesa, Max Ingrand
Umberto Allmandi
Turin, Italy (2013)
Pietro Chiesa
Custom Built: The Concepgt of Unique Italian Design
Charta
Padova, Italy (2003)
Mario Bettinotti
Vent’anni di movimento operaio genovese: Pietro Chiesa, Giuseppe Canepa, Lodovico Calda
Edizioni dell’A.N.S.
Milan, Italy (1932)