Description
Reproduction of the original design by Paul Henningsen
Height: 60" adjustable
Diameter: Approx. 20 inches
Bulbs: E26 and E27
Max: 100W
Number of Leaves: 60
This is a high quality reproduction of design by Poal Henningsen in 1958, the Artichoke Lamp is a classic example of how the structure of everyday furnishings was approached with both form and function in mind. Providing illumination from an elementary incandescent light bulb, the lamp has the ability of radiating indirect light in all directions, eliminating direct light and glare entirely. The lamp consists of multiple staggered layers of louvers or leaves which obscure the light source, reflecting and refracting light onto one another to provide a warm glow emanating around it. Unlit, the light takes the shape of an artichoke or flower – hence its name - and was part of the attraction of art-like designs from the period. With the light on, the Artichoke lamp remains visually appealing with its leaves sparkling from the diffused light. The lamp is ceiling-mounted and is adjustable to 60”. It is available in a silver or white finish.
Poul Henningsen couldn't really call himself an architect, but he absorbed the popular architectural mantra called "functionalism", being debated in high-level circles of the heavy hitters. Agreeing that it was not enough that something worked, it needed to function most efficiently first, he began his quest to prove his theory when he designed the PH-Lamp in 1925. He justified the unhappy aesthetics by calling it a "simple lamp which used the breakings of light." From this modest beginning he moved forward, determined to find a design that satisfied him in terms of how a lamp could function light under the most favorable of conditions—to his way of thinking—glare free. Experimenting with several arrangements of "louvers" that interrupted the light in the same way that protruding rocks will redirect water in a stream, PH (as he is known) began to see how light itself could be redirected. His artichoke light was the breakthrough he needed to prove his theory that a lamp could reach a high degree of function without causing glare. The PH artichoke light pendant turned out to be a 360-degree glare free luminaire festooned with a number of leaves. By interrupting the light source, to redirect and reflect the light onto the underlying leaves, he manipulated the large pieces of light into smaller pieces which, if taken by themselves would be inadequate, but eventually reassembled allowed adequate lumens to be broadcast without glare.
It was the technological breakthrough that he was looking for. Now he could work on the aesthetics. The first model was a bit awkward and somewhat industrial, but Henningsen kept working the concept until he had an artichoke lamp that worked to his specifications and projected a handsome design. This time the leaves had a graceful look, and as they cascaded down to a gentle taper, he had managed to completely conceal the light source. The design does resemble an artichoke ; however the leaves have a separation that allows the light to flow through and spill down the leaves. A chrome inner diffuser provides further in reflecting the light where it needs to flow. A common incandescent lamp is all that's required to use in the artichoke light, but if the owner prefers a high-powered halogen, xenon, or metal halide for a light source, the artichoke light pendant will easily accommodate the preference. Since its introduction in 1958, the artichoke lamp has become a favorite of modern furnishings enthusiasts and, interestingly enough, the lamp in a proper color will also fit into a more traditional furnishings scheme as well. It is interesting to contemplate how a mind like Henningsen's, that began by working a technical problem, could produce a design that so pleases aesthetic sensitivities.
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