In 1980, the Italian radical design collective Studio Alchimia released their “Bau.Haus II” furniture collection, which included the present model. Art et Industrie, a former gallery in New York, introduced Studio Alchimia's furniture to U.S. audiences and included the present lot in their first American exhibition of the group's work. The furniture line’s name ironically references the modernist Bauhaus school of design that promoted minimalist forms and functionalism. Sottsass, who worked both independently as well as in collaboration with Studio Alchimia, vehemently rejected this philosophy in favor of design that exhibited elements of pastiche, humor, and play. The title of the present lot, "Alessandria d'Egitto," (Alexandria, Egypt) is an example of this whimsical approach to design, recalling the city’s famous ancient library—an apt reference for a bookshelf. This allusion, paired with Sottsass’s irreverent use of everyday materials and bright colors, makes the present lot a now-classic example of postmodern Italian design.