The 1960s in Italy were a period of vital rebirth and profound social changes. Ico Parisi was a conscious witness of this and became aware of his role in the ongoing radical lifestyle transformations. He designed new homes and holiday villas with a simple compositional scheme yet ennobled by the presence of strong artistic interventions. On the moraine hills around Como, he created a villa with eaves and sculptural gargoyles designed by his sculptor friend Francesco Somaini.
Parisi also designed the villa’s interior, entirely in line with the new ideas of living which required simplicity, flexibility, and functionality. The predominant design element was undoubtedly the significant colour that strongly emerged on every compositional aspect. Amongst the bespoke furnishings were the present table with bright pink legs and a glass top, a striking chair upholstered in a vibrant pink fabric (Lot 152), and a set of four green and black stools (Lot 153). The colours throughout the villa were glossy, uniform, intense, bold and sometimes even unsettling. They were chosen by the great interior designer that was Ico’s wife, Luisa Parisi, who knew how to purposefully complete her husband’s ideas with her 'touch' of perfection.
By Roberta Lietti, Curator and Archivist at the Archivio del Design di Ico Parisi
Provenance
Private collection, Como, commissioned directly from the designer, 1960s
Catalogue Essay
Phillips wishes to thank Roberta Lietti of the Archivio del Design di Ico Parisi for her assistance in cataloguing the present lot.
circa 1965 Painted veneered wood, chestnut-veneered wood, glass. 51.3 x 81 x 80.6 cm (20 1/4 x 31 7/8 x 31 3/4 in.) Manufactured by Brugnoli Mobili, Cantù, Italy.