Today, our focus is on a creation by Gino Sarfatti, the Italian designer and founder of Arteluce. In his 30-year career, Sarfatti designed over 400 lighting pieces and continuously explored lighting technology.
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Featuring six opaline glass spheres, the 2042 ceiling light is a part of one of Sarfatti's most extensive lighting series. The journey began in 1959 with the 237 model, a wall light employing a straightforward system: a glass sphere suspended from an iron ring, connected to an aluminium structure. Over the following decade, this concept blossomed into a significant lamp family, undeniably the designer's most renowned and widely embraced.
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The various models, including the 2109 suspension lamp, the 543 table lamp, and the 2042 ceiling lamp, all embraced the same design, with slight variations in sphere diameter and the color of the aluminium structure. The inspiration for the luminous sphere originated from a commission for Hotel Torre di Madesimo. Sarfatti initially designed two models: a lamp for the bar (which never went into production) and model 2109/24, featuring 14 cm diameter spheres that the designer fondly dubbed 'the necklace.' Recognising the immense potential of this creation, Sarfatti decided to increase the sphere size, enabling the use of brighter bulbs and adapting the lamps for larger spaces.
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The 2042 ceiling light is an extension of the wall lights within the series. According to the design specifications, the most challenging aspect was the tubular structure, which transforms into a disc fixed to the ceiling. Sarfatti aimed for a seamless illusion, wanting the tube to gracefully widen in a natural manner, concealing the fact that the structure comprised two distinct parts.
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The 2042 model (available in variations such as 2042/3, 2042/6, 2042/9, or 2042/18, depending on the number of spheres) draws inspiration, like its family counterparts, from the enchanting beauty and poetry of the moon. It stands as a cornerstone of innovation in lighting technology and technical effects.
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Gino Sarfatti and his company, Arteluce, have garnered numerous accolades and awards, including the Compasso d'Oro in 1954 and 1955, as well as an honorary diploma from the Milan Triennale.
