A wall console designed in 1950 by architect Osvaldo Borsani and artist Lucio Fontana for the dining room of a private residence in Milan, Italy. The piece combines marble with gilded and painted wood, blending sculptural and functional concerns characteristic of postwar Italian design collaboration.
Borsani, founder of the furniture company Tecno, brought architectural precision to the commission, while Fontana’s artistic vision informed the aesthetic treatment of materials. The console was produced by Arredamenti Borsani in Varedo, near Milan, a centre of Italian furniture manufacturing. The work exemplifies the period’s dialogue between fine art and design, when leading sculptors and painters engaged directly with functional objects.
About the Designers
Osvaldo Borsani (1911–Milan) was an architect and designer whose company Tecno became influential in Italian modernist furniture. Lucio Fontana (Argentina 1899–Varese, Italy 1968) was a sculptor and painter whose experimental approach to materials extended across multiple disciplines, including design commissions.
Details
- Year: 1950
- Designers: Osvaldo Borsani and Lucio Fontana
- Materials: Marble, gilded wood, painted wood
- Original location: Casa S., Milan
- Manufacturer: Arredamenti Borsani, Varedo, Italy
- Type: Wall console for dining room
Frequently asked questions
Who designed this console?
Architect Osvaldo Borsani and sculptor-painter Lucio Fontana collaborated on the design. Borsani founded the furniture company Tecno; Fontana was known for experimental work across sculpture, painting, and design.
Where was it made?
The console was produced by Arredamenti Borsani in Varedo, Italy, a manufacturing centre near Milan, and was commissioned for a private dining room in Milan.
What materials were used?
The piece combines marble with gilded and painted wood, demonstrating the postwar Italian design practice of uniting precious materials with crafted finishes.
