{"product_id":"rare-osvaldo-borsani-for-arredamenti-borsani-varedo-pair-of-lounge-chairs-in-walnut","title":"Rare Osvaldo Borsani for Arredamenti Borsani Varedo Pair of Lounge Chairs in Walnut","description":"Osvaldo Borsani for Arredamenti Borsani Varedo (ABV), pair of lounge chairs, walnut, reupholstered in mohair Pierre Frey “Bold Celadon”, Italy, first half of the 1930s \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese rare lounge chairs by Osvaldo Borsani occupy an important place within the designer’s early production of the 1930s. Created during the period of Arredamenti Borsani Varedo, they reflect a crucial moment in Italian furniture history, when traditional cabinetmaking, decorative refinement, and the emerging ideals of modern domestic comfort began to converge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRather than abandoning the artisanal traditions of the family workshop, Borsani translated them into a more contemporary language. The chairs retain the elegance and material richness associated with Italian Art Deco, yet their broad proportions, low-slung profile, and emphasis on comfort point toward a more modern understanding of the home. In this sense, they stand at the intersection of two worlds: the decorative sophistication of the interwar period and the functional clarity that would come to define post-war Italian design.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOsvaldo Borsani (1911–1985) was raised in Varedo in a family of skilled furniture makers. At the age of sixteen, he joined his father’s workshop, then known as the Atelier di Varedo, which specialised in high-quality interiors and furniture for refined Italian residences. In 1932, the family company was renamed Arredamenti Borsani and opened a studio in Milan, marking the beginning of a more ambitious phase in its development.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring these early years, Borsani combined architectural training with a deep understanding of materials and craftsmanship. His furniture from the 1930s reveals a designer still rooted in the world of bespoke interiors, yet already moving toward a more modern and integrated conception of furniture as part of a complete domestic environment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe present chairs are distinguished by their exposed walnut framework, which functions as both structure and visual outline. Rather than being applied as a separate decorative element, the wooden frame forms a continuous band that begins at the base, rises into the sweeping armrests, and returns along the lower edge of the backrest. The proportions are unusually broad, characterized by a wide seat and low-slung stance. The generously sized base follows the curve of the base. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe chairs’ unusually broad seat, low stance, and rounded proportions speak to a changing idea of domestic comfort in the 1930s. While the craftsmanship remains rooted in the traditions of fine cabinetmaking, the overall form is more streamlined and relaxed than earlier decorative furniture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe upholstery appears almost contained within the wooden perimeter, with the frame acting as a visual border that defines and supports the generous padded volumes. From the side, the relationship between the curved arm supports and the solid upholstered mass creates a balance between lightness and solidity. Newly reupholstered in sumptuous mint green mohair by Pierre Frey, the chairs regain the luxurious and tactile quality that would have suited the sophisticated interiors for which Borsani originally designed such pieces.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSurviving examples of this model are extremely rare, making the present pair especially noteworthy. Their provenance from an Italian villa further enhances their historical interest, situating the chairs within the type of sophisticated residential environment for which Borsani originally designed such furnishings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBiography\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOsvaldo Borsani (1911-1985) was an Italian designer and architect, raised by a family of fine furniture makers in Varedo. At the age of 16, he joined his father’s furniture shop, the Atelier di Varedo, which was fully engaged in designing and furnishing homes inspired by the Italian Art Deco movement. The designer of the atelier was the Italian architect Gino Maggioni (1898-1955) who was known for his Viennese Jugendstil orientation of the early 20th century. In the 1930s, he graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and Politecnico di Milano, where he studied Fine Arts and Architecture respectively. In 1932, the family company was renamed ‘Arredamenti Borsani’ and opened its first studio in Milan. During this period, he encountered Avant-Garde artists of various artistic disciplines like Lucio Fontana (1899-1968), Agenore Fabbri (1911-1998), Aligi Sassu (1912-2000), Roberto Crippa (1921-1972), Fausto Melotti (1901-1986), Arnaldo Pomodoro (1926-) and Giò Pomodoro (1930-2002). These collaborations resulted in the creation of furniture and interior design projects with a high-level of craftsmanship and artistry. In 1953, Borsani founded together with his twin brother Fulgenzio Borsani ‘Tecno’, a design and manufacturing company that produced items based on mechanical innovations and refined technicality. The ‘P40’ adjustable lounge chair (1953) has become the ideological manifesto of Borsani's Tecno program, and still remains the best known, exemplary piece in the Tecno catalogue. Other iconic works that were produced by Tecno were created by Gio Ponti (1891-1979), Vico cham (1920-2006), Carlo de Carli (1910-1999), Gae Aulenti (1927-2012), and many other influential Italian designers. Osvaldo Borsani died in 1985 in Milan. His diverse and sophisticated oeuvre is to be found in permanent collections, such as of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Victoria \u0026amp; Albert Museum in London, Neue Sammlung in Munich, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Trienalle di Milano Museum. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Morentz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53874745278807,"sku":null,"price":84000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0289\/5187\/1548\/files\/50117251_St_P_6.jpg?v=1782496861","url":"https:\/\/www.morentz.com\/products\/rare-osvaldo-borsani-for-arredamenti-borsani-varedo-pair-of-lounge-chairs-in-walnut","provider":"Morentz","version":"1.0","type":"link"}