Discovering the Artisan

Berdondini 1926
Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Artist
Recently Viewed Items
Editor's Picks
Berdondini policy is based on 3 important factors: quality of materials, design and story.

After some experience in the fields of interior decoration, building and stage-designing, Antonio Berdondini combined these technical skills with the arts of representation; in 1926 he opened his workshop. The first few years were quite hard, not only as a result of the oncoming historical economic crisis, but also because Berdondini was a young man who wanted to emerge from the world of old-fashioned furniture manufacturing to join the new up-to-date culture. At that time Faenza was an extremely lively centre, with a great tradition in the furnishing sector. His first works drew inspiration from what was later to be called “protodesign” by historians. Awards were not unusual for Antonio Berdondini’s craft-firm production: he won prizes and gold medals at the Bologna and Florence Fairs in 1938, 1939 and 1940, for his “New Style” and the high level of manufacturing.
Berdondini developed his qualities not only by attending the regional exhibitions, but also bytaking part in higher level events, i.e. the “Triennale” at Milan and the Monza exhibitions. At the end of the war the workshop was engaged mainly in the restoration of war-damaged furniture.