FR - Fontana Arte
FR - In 1932 the celebrated Architect Gio Ponti bacame artistic director for the important art glass company of Luigi Fontana founded in 1881. A special furnace was installed in Milan which was the only one in Italy which could reliably curve crystal sheet. Other branches of Fontana Arte were opened making custom designed pieces of furniture and lighting of exceptional quality. Their workshops employed the most expert glass craftsmen. They were joined by Pietro Chiesa, a designer of great skill and man of culture. In 1954 Max Ingrand became artistic director and this heralded a new creativity for the company and expansion of their endeavours. They have continued this tradition to this day of employing the finest Architects as artistic directors and still produce work of quality and style.
