VICO MAGISTRETTI, 1965
Object
Eclisse by Vico Magistretti for Artemide is one of the great classics of 1960s Italian design. Still produced by Artemide today, it is one of Magistretti’s most successful projects, having entered both the homes and the imagination of a wide audience.
Collected by the best design museums worldwide, Eclisse has had a strong cultural impact since it first went on sale in 1967, winning the Compasso d’Oro the same year.
The success of the Eclisse lamp is due to several aspects of its design. First and foremost is the aesthetic and evocative power derived from the concept of an eclipse, transforming a natural phenomenon into an everyday object.
Magistretti was a true master in creating a lamp that replicates the effect of light during an eclipse, and on a practical level, allows the user to adjust the light beam, choosing between direct and indirect light. When the lamp is completely closed, it creates the effect of a total eclipse.
The formal aspect of the lamp is also very ingenious, consisting of a design based on three hemispheres. The first is the base, the second the outer shell, and the third the movable inner shell. Here, one can see Magistretti’s taste and elegance, using pure geometric forms (as he also did with his famous Atollo lamp) to create his objects.
New Colors and New Production Methods
In terms of usage, the Eclisse lamp is designed primarily as a table lamp, but it can also be used as a wall lamp. Recently, it has often been seen used as a bedside lamp.
Magistretti’s design has been produced with the utmost respect for the original concept. Over the years, only a small adjustment has been made: the addition of a knob to avoid directly touching the inner shell.
The lamp is offered in the classic 1960s palette, which includes orange, red, white, and yellow. In recent years, Artemide has introduced a new PVD version, where the lamps are made using an innovative and sustainable vacuum metal deposition process (“sputtering”), available in black, brass, copper, or mirror finishes.
From Artemide’s website, we highlight the new production process: From an environmental perspective, this new finish is one of the cleanest coating technologies: it uses only metals that are not harmful to health and completely eliminates all emissions, particularly those of sulfuric acid and cyanides, typically produced by galvanic processes. The subsequent protective clear painting phase, aimed at ensuring the long-lasting aesthetic quality of the finish, uses a solid paint with a maximum of 5% solvents (compared to the traditional 75%). The waste generated by the process is minimal.
The Eclisse Lamp in Museums
The Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti had a tremendous cultural impact. As previously mentioned, it earned Magistretti the Compasso d’Oro in 1967, one of the most prestigious design awards worldwide.
Magistretti’s small lamp is also part of the finest museum collections globally. It is collected by the Fondazione Museo Vico Magistretti, the MoMA in New York, the Triennale di Milano, the MET in New York, and the GNAM in Rome, to name just a few.
Vico Magistretti
Vico Magistretti (1920-2006) was an Italian architect and designer, a master of 20th-century design. His work ranged from architecture to furniture and lighting design, characterized by simplicity, functionality, and innovation. Among his most notable creations are the Eclisse and Atollo lamps.
Artemide
Founded in 1960 by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza, Artemide is a global leader in lighting design, known for its “The Human Light” philosophy. Among the company’s great successes are the Eclisse by Vico Magistretti, the Tizio by Richard Sapper, and the Tolomeo by De Lucchi and Fassina.
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Details
Artemide
The original version of the Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti is available on Finnishdesignshop.com >
The dimensions of the Eclisse lamp:
- Diameter: 12 cm
- Height: 18 cm
Materials:
- Steel, technopolymer
