Angelo Mangiarioti
A leading force in the international design community from the 1960s, Angelo Mangiarotti (1921-2012) was an Italian architect, designer, and professor. Influenced by his extensive time abroad, where he met masters such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, his design career mirrored the evolution of modernism in the latter decades of the 20th century.
Starting with experiments in plywood furniture and one-piece foam-core seating - culminating in the 110 lounge chair for Cassina - Angelo Mangiarotti transitioned to using classic materials, like delicate, blown-glass for table lamps for Artemide. He imbued his designs with a sense of character and lightheartedness that was all too often lacking in late 20th century modernist design. The simplicity and elegance of his designs usually served as a graceful counterpoint to traditional decor; all the while maintaining a sculptural prescence that allows them to stand out in a modern interior.