Ingenious Sixties.
Sold, sorry.
Not everything in the 60s was orange. Besides the (wonderful) flower-power-plastic-pop-style there also was „minimalism“ in art – and in design. The aesthetic reduction to simple basic forms, as already appreciated in the Bauhaus-era, and the frequent use of simple and / or industrial materials accommodated practical applications. The „ingenious“ design is often based on the principle „form follows function“. But it also needs careful attention to the detail, which makes the difference between „ready-made“ and design object.
Some outstanding examples of this design principle can be found in Italian lamp brands: From Artemide to Foscarini, from Flos to Viabizzuno. And of course Oluce, oldest Italian design company still operating in the lighting world, founded in 1945 by Giuseppe Ostuni. (Find out more about their history here.) Often working with now famous names like Agnoli, Zanuso, Colombo or Magistretti some of their most coveted pieces came from Angelo Ostuni & Renato Forti.
Take for example the ‚399‘ floor lamp, part of the Cornalux lamp series, first presented in 1958 by O-Luce and also shown in a video by the company, celebrating its greatest designs. The idea of the flattened and frosted Cornalux bulb was to be able to control the direction of light by forming the source. Adding to that is the continuous height adjustability, achieved by an U-shaped bracket that allows the lamp to slide up and down the standing rod. You see: Modernity is not just about fun, but also about function.
Nickel-plated brass with a wonderful patina, varnished metal, Cornalux lightbulb.
