Pietro Chiesa

Pietro Chiesa (1892–1948) was a key figure in Italian Art Déco design, renowned for his mastery of glasswork. Born in Milan into a family of artists originally from Ticino, Switzerland, he studied at the Brera Academy and trained under furniture designer Giovan Battista Giannotti before founding his own studio, Bottega di Pietro Chiesa, in 1921. Chiesa debuted his work internationally at the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. In 1932, his studio merged with Fontana Arte, the prestigious glass and lighting company founded by Gio Ponti and Luigi Fontana, where Chiesa became artistic director. He created a wide range of works—from stained glass panels to lamps, tables, and decorative objects. His most iconic designs include the Fontana table (1932), made from a single bent sheet of clear glass; the Cartoccio vase (1932); and the Luminator (1933), a lacquered brass floor lamp. Chiesa’s work blended technical innovation with refined decorative sensibility, and his legacy lives on through the timeless designs he created. He passed away in Paris in 1948.