FontanaArte (Bilingual edition)

FontanaArte. House of Glass critically examines the legendary Milanese manufacturer of glass furnishings through the eras of its four great artistic directors: Gio Ponti (1932-1933, with continuous involvement thereafter), Pietro Chiesa (1933-1948), Max Ingrand (1954-1967), and Gae Aulenti (1979-1996).

From Ponti's founding of the company in 1932 until Aulenti's departure in 1996, this catalogue, published on the occasion of a major exhibition in Venice, traces FontanaArte's historical stylistic arc through twentieth-century design. It explores the journey from the rational logic of modernism to the playful wit of post-modernism. Throughout, the company set the standards for Italian design, exemplifying a seamless continuity between the classical ancient past and the technological present, the perfect marriage of art with industry, the superior quality of materials and hand craftsmanship, and the elevation of everyday objects into luxurious art for living.

Edited by Christian Larsen, the book follows a structure divided into chapters that delve deeply into each individual designer: Gio Ponti e Pietro Chiesa, Max Ingrand, and Gae Aulenti. The section "House of Glass" is intended to evoke a domestic space furnished exclusively with objects by FontanaArte.

The critical essays contained in the exhibition catalogue, authored by Renata Codello, Christian Larsen, Kellie Riggs, Pierre Martin-Vivier, and Andrew Gardner, describe a complex network of relationships expressing the idea of "Vivere nel vetro [Living in Glass]". These essays trace mostly new, uncharted journeys of discovery, encouraging investigation and research that lead to deeper insights.