Not currently on display at the V&A

Armchair

1968-1969 (made)
Artist/Maker
Arflex (manufacturer)
Bartoli, Carlo (designer)
Place of origin
Italy (made)

Twin moulded fibre-glass shells, with calvel covered internal upholstery, red velvet. The form of the curved shell touches the floor at the base of the curve, and the outer edge of the shell bends back to touch the floor at the front. The outer side of the shell is uncovered. The separate seat-cushion is covered in the same way as the inner side of the shell.


Object details

Category
Furniture
Object type
Armchair
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Armchair
  • Cushion
  • Cushion
Materials and techniques
Velvet
Fibreglass
Moulding
Upholstery
Brief description
Armchair. ‘Bicia’, 1968-1969, designed by Carlo Bartoli, manufactured by Arflex, Milan, Italy.
Physical description
Twin moulded fibre-glass shells, with calvel covered internal upholstery, red velvet. The form of the curved shell touches the floor at the base of the curve, and the outer edge of the shell bends back to touch the floor at the front. The outer side of the shell is uncovered. The separate seat-cushion is covered in the same way as the inner side of the shell.
Dimensions
  • Height: 70cm (From grey file)
  • Depth: 83cm (From grey file)
  • Width: 73.5cm (From grey file)
  • Height: 41.5cm (Seat height, from grey file)
Object history
Description of Craftsman from Hollis, R. 1970. Modern Chairs:1918-1970. The Whitechapel Art Gallery, London:
Carlo Bartoli. Architect, interior designer. Born 1931. Trained Milan Polytechnic. Own office from 1960, Milam; instructor in planning, High Course of Industrial Design, Florence

Description of similar object, from Hollis, R. 1970. Modern Chairs:1918-1970. The Whitechapel Art Gallery, London:
An enclosed plastics shell which gives good, stable, and visually light ground-contact over two areas. The seating surface is totally upholstered, while the obverse, handling or knockable surface has been preserved as a pure plastics shape.
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
CIRC.330:1-1970

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O350228/armchair-bartoli-carlo/
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