Poul Henningsen, 4.5/4 lamp for Louis Poulsen, 1930's.

POUL HENNINGSEN (Denmark, 1894 - 1967) for LOUIS POULSEN.
Pendant lamp 4,5/4, 1930s. With 'Patented' stamp.
Copper.
Measurements: 32 cm (height); 40 cm (diameter).

Belonging to the influential PH family, the PH 4,5/4 lamp by Poul Henningsen is distinguished by its exceptional quality of light. Heir to the 1925-1926 reflector shade system, this piece uses a scientifically modeled design with opal glass shades to ensure smooth, harmonious and, crucially, glare-free light distribution.

Danish designer, architect and critic, Poul Henningsen was one of the key figures in the cultural life of Denmark in the interwar period. He studied architecture between 1911 and 1917, but never graduated, as he decided to become an inventor and painter. Nevertheless, he worked as an architect and became one of the most prominent advocates of functionalism. In his career as a designer, his most famous creation was the "PH Artichoke" lamp, a simple lamp that used hallmarks of light to avoid glare and create an aesthetic effect of great beauty. Its success enabled Henningsen to finance his later work. He is currently representing at the Danish Museum of Art and Design, the MoMA in New York and the Victoria & Albert in London, among many others.