A sculpted mahogany fauteuil with black leather upholstery. Manufactured in the 1960s. Attributed to the Italian furniture designer Paolo Buffa.

PAOLO BUFFA (1903–1970) was born in Milan in 1903. By defining a unique aesthetic that paired elements of Neoclassical opulence with a streamlined Art Deco style, he rose to become one of the most sought-after Italian furniture designers of his day.

Buffa trained at the Politecnico di Milano. Following his graduation in 1927, he briefly worked for Gio Ponti (1891-1979). The following year, Buffa partnered with architect Antonio Cassi Ramelli (1905-1980) to establish a joint studio in Milan. The duo was responsible for numerous classical revival designs, including a dining room that was showcased at the Triennale di Milano exhibition of 1930. Buffa would be celebrated for his use of superlative materials, particularly in his dining chairs, and for working with local craftsmen to pioneer efficient production techniques.

By 1936, Buffa had opened his own remarkably successful studio. The combination of traditional Neoclassical materials—for example, rich rosewoods and supple, velveteen fabrics—with the relatively avant-garde forms and themes of the lighter Art Deco style made his pieces especially attractive to the upper classes—who wanted to convey their connection with contemporary design trends while still upholding an air of old-world flair.

By the end of WWII, like many important Milanese designers of the time, Buffa had established close ties with area manufacturers and began to produce furniture of exceptional quality on a larger scale. Many of the pieces that Buffa designed during this time were made by prominent craftsmen, among them the ébéniste Mario Quarti and cabinetmakers Mose Turri di Bovisio, Fratelli Lietti, Serafino Arrighi, and Marelli & Colico. Designs were exhibited in prestigious furniture exhibitions, such as the 1948 Salon des Artistes Decorateurs in Paris, and sold through catalogs as well as in showrooms.

As his career progressed in the 1950s and ’60s, Buffa experimented with designs that reflected the rising trend toward minimalism. Some of the luxuriousness that had previously dominated his creations gave way to sleek forms and modern materials, so that, by the 1960s, his designs found their way into the innovative collections of establishments like Cassina di Meda.

Buffa continued to create until shortly before he died in 1970. By that time, he was widely recognized as one of Italy’s most accomplished designers.

DETAILS

Designer – PAOLO BUFFA (attrib.)

Design Period/Year – 1960s

Maker – UNKNOWN

Production Period/Year – 1960s

Origin – ITALY

Styles/Movements – MID-CENTURY MODERN; NEOCLASSICAL REVIVAL

Materials – MAHOGANY, LEATHER, METAL

Colors – OXBLOOD, BLACK

Condition – Excellent vintage condition. Minor traces of wear consistent with age and use.

Dimensions – 23 ½" W × 22" D × 37 ½" H

Seat Dimensions – 20" W × 20" D × 20" H

Arm Height – 28"

Number of Seats – 1