Gio Ponti designed the present sofa for a private residence in Milan in circa 1936. The sofa’s design, which features a high back with curvilinear details carved in wood, hints at Ponti’s interest in the metaphysical during this period, and illustrates his penchant for an element of amusement in his designs. The sofa originally featured printed silk upholstery by Fede Cheti, a Milanese textile firm established by Federica Cheti the same year. Ponti was an early supporter of Cheti’s experimental textiles and the pair maintained a career-long relationship. In addition to her collaboration with Ponti, Cheti’s fabrics also featured the work of prominent artists, such as Raoul Dufy and Giorgio de Chirico.