What the work is
Marco Zanuso designed the Lady armchair for Arflex in 1951. The Metropolitan Museum records metal legs, upholstered foam and rubber: materials central to understanding the chair beyond its exterior silhouette.
How it was made
Arflex’s early work with Zanuso explored foam rubber and elastic tapes for furniture. The company presented Lady at the 1951 Milan Triennale, where it received a gold medal.
What works
The design makes a productive study of how upholstery can determine an object’s character. Its padded body and metal legs distinguish the parts that receive the sitter from those that lift the chair above the floor.
What does not
The outer covering cannot reveal the complete construction. Judging the chair from its profile alone misses the materials beneath; assessing a surviving example also requires attention to whether its upholstery has been replaced.
What it influenced
The Triennale award gave public recognition to Arflex’s experimental approach. The chair also entered museum collections, including the Met and MoMA, where it can be studied within the history of industrial furniture design.
Is it worth your time
Worth examining alongside a construction account. Follow how the soft materials relate to the supporting parts, and distinguish the documented 1951 object from later editions or restorations before drawing conclusions about its manufacture.
