Harry Bertoia (1915-1978)

Harry Bertoia (1915-1978), Italian sculptor, university lecturer and furniture designer who immigrated to America in 1930. He studied at the Cass Technical High School in Detroit and graduated from with a scholarship at the Cranbook Academy of Art, Michigan. In 1939-1943 he led a workshop for metal processing and tough jewel- and metal-urge in the same context. In 1943 he worked together with Charles and Ray Eames at the Evans Product company where they experimented for the first time with curved wooden plates as seat faces. In 1950 he succeeded to establish his own studio in Pennsylvania and in 1952 he presented his Diamond Lounge Chair for the first time for Knoll international. Bertoia was a pioneer and inspiring with the invention of new forms, he enriched the history of styles with significant influences in the area of material and it was him, who established wire mesh as a design icon. Success was not long in coming the residual that he earned alone in the middle of the 50's allowed him to concentrate completely on its activity as sculptor.