Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) was an Italian sculptor, university lecturer and furniture designer.
Bertoia made the first step to his future career at 15 when he travelled to Detroit, Michigan to visit his older brother and on arrival decided to stay and enrol at Cass Technical High School, where he studied art and design and learned jewellery making.
Graduating from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in 1939 he opened his own metal workshop and taught jewellery design and metal work.
In 1943 he married Brigitta Valentiner and moved to California to work with Charles and Ray Eames for the Evans Product Company.
During his time there he and Eero Saarinen developed a method for making moulded plywood splints that would later evolve into processes for designing furniture. He also helped create the metal/spine leg structure of the Eames Plywood Dining & Lounge chairs.
In 1950 he moved to Pennsylvania to establish a studio and work with Hans and Florence Knoll where he designed five wire pieces, including the Diamond Chair (1952), which became known as the Bertoia Collection for Knoll.
The collection sold so well that the royalties Bertoia received allowed him to devote his time to his sculpture that explored the ways in which metal could be manipulated to produce sound; Bertoia even performed concerts and recorded albums with them.
Other notable works during his career include a metal sculptured screen for the General Motors Technical Center in Detroit, which was commissioned by Eero Saarinen.
Bertoia died in Pennsylvania in November 1978.