Harry Bertoia Furniture: Sculptural Wire Designs. Harry Bertoia (1915–1978) was an Italian-born American artist and designer best known for his innovative wire furniture. Trained at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, he worked with Charles and Ray Eames before establishing his own studio. In 1952, he designed the iconic Diamond Chair (also called the Bertoia Chair) for Knoll, featuring a molded wire grid that is both structurally strong and visually light.