Sciolari - Gaetano Sciolari - Table lamp - Cubic - Metal, plexiglass

This table lamp belongs to the Cubic series, designed by Gaetano Sciolari in the seventies, one of the most iconic lines of Italian lighting design of the period.
The work fully fits into the Space Age aesthetics and the geometric style typical of Sciolari, characterized by strict modularity and a strong architectural component. The structure is composed of satin-finished metal parallelepipeds, arranged at different heights, creating a scalar composition that evokes an abstract urban landscape.
The distinguishing feature of the series is represented by the upper diffusers: cubes in plexiglass (lucite), material widely used in the 1960s-70s for its transparency and light diffusion qualities. These elements enclose the light source and transform it into a soft, refracted and slightly “materic” light, capable of generating reflections and visual depth.
The combination between cold, geometric metal and luminous plexiglass creates a balance typical of Sciolari's language: formal rationality and luminous showmanship. The Cubic series was produced in numerous variants — table lamps, wall sconces and especially large modular chandeliers — becoming one of the designer’s most recognizable and widespread models, also thanks to international distribution in the United States in the 1970s.