Greta Magnusson Grossmann, 1947
OBJECT
The Grässhoppa lamp was designed by Greta Magnusson Grossman in 1947. It is one of her most famous designs and is named for its slim, elongated shape, reminiscent of a grasshopper’s legs.
What sets this lamp apart—along with the Cobra table lamp, which also brought Greta Magnusson Grossman fame—is its tripod base with a tilted stem, resembling the insect’s legs. The lampshade has a classic shape and is adjustable to direct the light.
This lamp solidified Grossman’s reputation as one of the few women who managed to stand out during the post-World War II era. Its slender, elongated design, inspired by organic forms, has made the lamp one of the most significant examples of lighting from that period.
In 2011, Scandinavian manufacturer Gubi resumed production of the lamp according to the original designs of the Scandinavian designer, bringing this iconic floor lamp back to the market.
Greta Magnusson Grossman
Greta Magnusson Grossman was a Swedish designer and architect, born in Helsingborg in 1907. Historians describe her as a vibrant woman with an exuberant personality and remarkable talent for design and architecture.
After graduating in Sweden from the prestigious Konstfack, the University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, she opened a shop-studio called Shop, where she began her design career.
With the outbreak of the war, Grossman emigrated to the United States, where she became the face of European design and architecture for Hollywood stars, including Greta Garbo and many others. Grossman opened a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, where she was among the first to introduce Scandinavian design to the United States.
Grossman is often cited as an example of one of the women who managed to make a significant contribution to the world of design and architecture in the post-war era, a period historically dominated by male forces. Despite designing and building more than 15 houses and luxury villas for the showbiz elite of the time, she is best remembered for her design objects, such as the Grasshoppa and Cobra lamps.
La Lampada Grasshoppa nei musei
Greta Magnusson Grossman’s work was extensively featured in Arts & Architecture magazine and exhibited in museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Museum in Stockholm during the 1940s and 1950s. Her Cobra Lamp received the prestigious MoMA Good Design Award in 1950.
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DETAILS
Produced by Gubi
The original version of the Grasshoppa lamp is available on Finnish Design Shop starting at €899.
Powder-coated aluminum, steel.
