Ico Parisi Wall-mounted console table from Italy.

About the Item

Ico Parisi Wall-mounting console table from Italy. This is a sculptural masterpiece. The rare Ico Parisi wall-mounted console epitomizes the pinnacle of mid-century modern design. Crafted with precision and finesse, this exquisite piece seamlessly blends form and function, making a bold statement in any interior space. Constructed from the finest materials, such as rich Brazilian rosewood hardwoods or sleek metals, the console showcases Parisi's mastery of clean lines and geometric shapes. Its minimalist design exudes sophistication, with subtle yet striking details that elevate its aesthetic appeal. The wall-mounted configuration adds an element of versatility, allowing the console to effortlessly integrate into various settings, whether it's in a spacious living room, a cozy hallway, or an upscale office environment. Its compact yet functional design makes it an ideal choice for maximizing space without compromising on style. Each element of the console reflects Parisi's meticulous attention to detail. Adorned with a polished lacquer shelf and black lacquer legs, every aspect of the console speaks to the designer's unwavering commitment to quality and elegance. As a rare find in the world of design, the Ico Parisi wall-mounted console is not just a piece of furniture but a true work of art, destined to be cherished for generations to come. With its timeless appeal and enduring allure, it serves as a testament to Parisi's enduring legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern design history. Its sculptural base echos the influence of surrealism. Ico Parisi was an Italian-born furniture designer. His pieces are rarely seen in the US. Made of Brazilian rosewood and black lacquer walnut 44.25 w x 12.25 d x 31.75 h Domenico Parisi, nicknamed Ico, was born in Palermo on the 23rd September 1916 to Sicilian parents in the Piedmont region. In 1925 the Parisi family moved to Como where Ico earned his diploma as a building inspector in 1936 and completed an apprenticeship at Studio Terragni. The studio gave him the opportunity to get to know and interact with prominent figures of Como's architecture and art world such as Cattaneo, Lingeri, Radice, Rho, Persico and Sartoris. Passionate about cinema and photography, at Studio Terragni's request he photographed the Casa del Fascio. Discharged from the front in 1943, he returned to Como and resumed his design activity, mainly working on individual furnishings, exhibition stands and interior architecture. He collaborated with Luisa Aiani and soon married her in 1947. Together they opened the studio La Ruota, a place of design but also a place of art, exhibitions and culture.Parisi's work became more and more prolific from the 1950s, in both the architectural and design fields. He designed furniture, firstly unique pieces with craftsmen from Brianza and later for industrial production with companies such as Cassina, as well as numerous decorative art objects using materials such as ceramics and glass.The late 1960s marked a precise turning point in his design research. With Contenitoriumani, created in collaboration with the sculptor Francesco Somaini and presented for the first time at the Milan Furniture Fair in 1968, Parisi embarked on a new path of investigation aimed at defining a utopian-existential idea of living.The culmination of his design and existential research came between 1974 and 1976 with "Operazione Arcevia", addressed in a collective and interdisciplinary manner and aimed at designing an entire community. The work was presented at the 76th Biennale of Venice and subsequently exhibited at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome (1979). This strongly utopian socio-urban experience gave rise to his subsequent graphic research, which became the theme of innumerable collective and personal exhibitions. He died in Como on the 19th of December 1996.

Creator:

Ico Parisi (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 31.75 in (80.65 cm)Width: 12.25 in (31.12 cm)Depth: 44.25 in (112.4 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Rosewood,Walnut,Lacquered

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

1950-1959

Date of Manufacture:

1950

Condition:

Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

San Diego, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU6417238889302

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Ico Parisi

Domenico “Ico” Parisi was one half of a prolific postwar design duo he comprised with his wife, Luisa. Their furniture designs are known for running the stylistic gamut, with celebrated mid-century modern pieces ranging from elegantly skeletal — like dramatic ebonized dining chairs — to plush and shapely, like the iconic 1951 Egg chair, in a plethora of materials.

The son of an art teacher father, Ico Parisi was exposed to art at an early age. Born in 1916 in the Sicilian capital of Palermo, he and his family moved to Como in 1925. There, the young Parisi would begin to develop his interest in architecture and design. After earning a degree as a building inspector in 1936 and working as a civil engineer, Parisi took on an apprenticeship in the studio of Giuseppe Terragni, the modernist, fascist Italian architect, pioneer of the Rationalist movement and creator of the iconic Casa del Fascio.

While working for Terragni, Parisi crossed paths with such contemporary design talents as Lucio Fontana, Bruno Munari and Pietro Lingeri, though he briefly moved away from design and architecture to explore photography and film. His artistic work would soon be interrupted, however, by the outbreak of World War II, during which he served at the front before returning to Como in 1943. There, he resumed work as a designer and architect, founding two architecture groups: the Alta Quota and the Gruppo Como.

Through his creative circles, Parisi met Luisa Aiani, a former student of the prolific architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti, who was affiliated with the Alta Quota. They married in 1947 and founded the studio La Ruota — a cross between a design firm and an intellectual salon — in Como shortly thereafter. In 1950, Parisi finally completed his architectural schooling, studying under the nationalist architect Alberto Sartoris at the Athenaeum Architecture School in Lausanne, Switzerland. He and Aiani began several decades of sophisticated output, designing curved sofas upholstered in yellow velvet and armchairs with slender mahogany frames for enduring Italian manufacturers such as Cassina and others.

Much like Charles and Ray Eames in America, the Parisis worked as a team and relied on experimentation in style and material for many of their designs. Ico Parisi died in Como in 1996.

Find a collection of vintage Ico Parisi coffee tables, dining chairs and more on 1stDibs.