Angelo Lelii Ceiling Lamp for Arredoluce, 1958

Design
1958

Manufacture
1950-1959

Location
Lonigo, IT

Angelo Lelii ceiling lamp for Arredoluce, perspex and brass, Italy, 1958.

Genial and controversial, Angelo Lelii is considered one of the greatest lighting designers ever. In 1957, he designed this pendant lamp for Arredoluce, the lighting company he founded a few years before, exemplifying the mid-century Italian lighting design through its innovative use of materials and form. The lamp features a central brass stem that suspends an opalescent perspex diffuser, meticulously crafted from folded sheets of acrylic. The architectural diffuser is composed of four overlapping bands, arranged to mimic the blades of a pinwheel. This sculptural configuration lends the lamp its dynamic yet balanced aesthetic, establishing a dialogue between movement and stillness. When the light is on, the acrylic diffuser casts a warm, diffused light that interacts with the overlapping bands to create intricate geometries and patterns on the ceiling. These luminous projections evoke a sense of nostalgia, playfully recalling childhood memories while maintaining an air of sophistication. The dialogue between the polished bronze stem and the matte acrylic enhances the piece's material contrast, emphasizing both its structural rigor and its soft, ambient lighting effect. The lamp's design showcases Lelii's mastery of manipulating modern materials to produce lighting fixtures that are functional and artistic. By bending the acrylic sheets into precise forms, Lelii achieved a lightweight and versatile structure that diffuses light evenly while maintaining visual interest.