BERTOIA Harry

After technical training at Detroit Technical High School, Harry Bertoia graduated from the prestigious Cranbrook Educational Community, where he met Charles and Ray Eames. Harry Bertoia opened his ironwork workshop in 1939, where he taught jewelry and metalwork. In 1943, he married Brigitta Valentiner and moved to California, where he became close to the Eames couple. He then joined the molded plywood division of the Evans Product Company and contributed to the creation of the Wire chair for the Eameses. Encouraged by former classmates Florence and Hans Knoll, Harry Bertoia decided to open his own workshop in Pennsylvania. There, he created his famous wire mesh chairs, including the Diamant chair produced by Knoll in 1952, which brought him great commercial success. This coup allowed him to devote himself to his lifelong passion, sculpture.