WILLY RIZZO (Naples, 1928-Paris, 2013). Lot n° 132

WILLY RIZZO (Naples, 1928-Paris ,2013). Table lamp; Italy, c.1970. Designed for Luminica. Base in chromed steel and brass, and shade in nude fabric. Holds three bulbs. Dimensions: 53 x 14 x 21 cm. (base), 76,5 x 39 x 33 cm. (complete lamp) Designer and photographer, Willy Rizzo began his career in Paris, and since then has built up a solid career in the world of photography. His activity as a designer began in 1966, when he moved with his wife to a small flat in the centre of Rome, which he renovated himself, also designing the furniture. Although he never intended to become a designer, his friends soon began to commission him after seeing his house. In fact, he has counted among his clients such prominent figures as Salvador Dalí and Brigitte Bardot. Rizzo always admired beautiful things, both modern and antique, so he focused his aesthetic experimentation on creating modern furniture that perfectly matched the antique. His style marked an era in Italian design, being recognised as the designer of the Dolce Vita. The demand for his pieces was so great that in 1968 he decided to set up his own company, with which he has since created numerous pieces, always handmade, combining noble materials such as travertine or bronze with other distinctly modern ones such as steel. He eventually opened shops in Paris and other European cities, as well as in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. In 1978 Rizzo sold his company and refocused his career on photography, tired of the business life. During the ten years he spent designing furniture, Rizzo, a great admirer of Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Ruhlmann, developed a style that is easily recognisable even today. His are pieces of clean lines and geometric shapes, made of carefully selected materials. He always remained faithful to the traditional, handcrafted use of materials, rejecting the mass production system and the use of plastic. Some of his designs have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and more recently at the Madison Mallet Gallery in London.