Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007), an architect by training and a designer, began his career working for Olivetti, where he designed the famous Valentine typewriter. He then founded his own design studio and worked on a wide range of iconic projects: furniture, decorative objects, jewellery and buildings. He was a key figure in the Memphis design movement of the 1980s. His work is characterised by the use of bright colours, bold patterns and geometric shapes. Ettore Sottsass was also politically and socially engaged; he used his work to challenge the social and cultural norms of his time. As its name implies, La biblioth?que de l'Amateur is an art lover's library, retracing the creative history of the 20th century in the fields of architecture, design and the decorative arts.