“Lesbo” Table Lamp by Angelo Mangiarotti for Artemide, 1967 Design

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A true icon of mid-century Italian design, the Lesbo Table Lamp by Angelo Mangiarotti remains one of the most elegant and sought-after lighting pieces. Originally designed in 1967, this masterpiece embodies the perfect balance of form and function, with a sculptural presence that enhances any interior.

Lesbo, designed in 1967, represents one of the symbols of the Made in Italy design of the 70s, characterized by its particular mushroom shape.

Crafted from hand-blown Murano glass, the lamps organic, fluid shape creates a soft and diffused glow, while the polished metal base adds a refined contrast. Equipped with a light intensity regulator, this timeless piece allows for adjustable ambiance, making it as practical as it is beautiful.

The hand-blown diffuser creates fascinating interactions with light. The frosted white color conceals the light source and guides the light beam upwards, creating a soft and atmospheric light that highlights the beauty of the glass.

This particular lamp comes from a 1990s deadstock inventory and is in pristine, like-new condition, a rare find for collectors and design enthusiasts. It retains the original manufacturers label, certifying its authenticity.Creator: Angelo Mangiarotti (Designer),Artemide (Manufacturer)Dimensions: Height: 14.18 in (36 cm)Diameter: 19.69 in (50 cm)Power Source: Plug-inVoltage: 220-240vLampshade: IncludedStyle: Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)Materials and Techniques: Metal,Murano Glass,Hand-Crafted,PolishedPlace of Origin: ItalyPeriod: 1960-1969Date of Manufacture: 1967Condition: ExcellentWear consistent with age and use.Seller Location: Bagnolo Mella, ITReference Number: 1stDibs: LU8256243521782Shop All Angelo Mangiarotti

Angelo Mangiarotti

Italian architect, designer, teacher and urban planner Angelo Mangiarotti was a leading light in the international design community from the 1960s onward. While he was an adherent of the rationalist principles of purity of line and simplicity of construction, he sought to imbue his designs for coffee tables, dining chairs, sconces and other furnishings with a sense of character and lightness of spirit that was often lacking in late-20th-century modernist architecture and design.

Born in Milan, Mangiarotti studied architecture at Milan Polytechnic, graduating in 1948. Five years later, he won a visiting professorship at the Illinois Institute of Technology beginning a peripatetic academic career that would see him teaching in numerous Italian institutions as well as in schools as far afield as Hawaii and Australia. He worked with Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and met such greats as Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius. He returned to Italy in 1955 and would go on to work on numerous industrial, residential, commercial and civic projects in his home country, most notably a group of six railway stations in Milan.

As a designer, Mangiarotti and the development of his career embodies the evolution of modernism in the latter decades of the 20th century. In the late 1950s and early 60s, after early experiments in plywood furniture and one-piece foam-core seating including the 1110 lounge chair for Cassina Mangiarotti began to design using more classic materials, from delicate, curvaceous blown-glass table lamps for Artemide to chandeliers with crystal links for Vistosi.

In 1971, Mangiarotti introduced what became his signature designs: a series of tables in marble and other stones that featured gravity joints, their legs held in place by the weight of the tabletop. Tables in his Eros collection have muscular proportions that anticipate the robust, overscaled lines of postmodern works that would appear 10 years later: His Eccentrico table, for example, is a striking assemblage in marble featuring a top that is cantilevered dramatically on a canted columnar base.

But simplicity and practicality were consistently the primary watchwords of Mangiarottis designs. The purity and elegance of the objects he created offer a graceful counterpoint to a traditional decor, yet they have a singular sculptural presence that allows them to stand out powerfully in a modern interior.

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Artemide

Artemide is an iconic firm in the design world. The mid-century Italian company is one of the best known lighting manufacturers and its award-winning fixtures are held in museum collections everywhere. Vintage Artemide table lamps, pendants, ceiling lamps and other lighting represent a thoughtful merge between functionalism and eye-catching design.

Artemide, which is based in Pregnana, was founded by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza in 1959. During that year, Mazza created the first table lamp for the manufacturer a modernist work in glass, marble and metal that he called the Alfa. Gismondi, who studied aeronautical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan and missile engineering at Romes Professional School of Engineering, applied his knowledge of cutting edge technology and materials such as fiberglass resin to Artemides designs for lighting and furniture.

In 1967, Artemide won Italys Compasso d’Oro design award for its Eclisse table lamp, which was designed by Vico Magistretti two years earlier. Other award-winning fixtures include the Tizio table lamp designed by Richard Sapper and the Tolomeo table lamp.

Designed by Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo featured the patented George Carwardine mechanism used in the original Anglepoise lamp. De Lucchi would later be recruited to join visionary postmodern design collective the Memphis Group. Artemides Gismondi purchased the brand after founder Ettore Sottsass dismantled the collective in 1988, and it was bought by Alberto Bianchi Albrici in 1996.

Artemides list of design, innovation, sustainability and other industry awards is long and distinguished. The firm continues to actively collaborate with internationally revered designers and seek out new talent through workshops with design schools. The companys deeply held values energy-saving lighting, sustainable design and ethically sourced materials characterize its current offerings, and Artemide furniture and lighting can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions.

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