Carlo Forcolini

CARLO FORCOLINI (Italy, 1947) for Artemide, Italy
Polifemo floor lamp. Designed in 1983.
Lacquered metal, aluminum, glass, and plastic components.
Adjustable shade.
In good condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: 200 × 55 × 30 cm.

The Polifemo is a standout example of Italian design from the 1980s, a period when lighting took on a distinctly sculptural and narrative character. On the slender black shaft, a triangular structure supports the circular reflector, whose shape and central light source evoke the single eye of the cyclops that gives the model its name.

The ability to adjust the disc’s orientation allows the light to be directed and reflected, integrating technical functionality into a composition with a strong visual presence. The hallmarks of postmodern design are the lightness of the rods, the geometry of the support, and the wide reflector, which place the piece within that realm.

Carlo Forcolini trained at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts and was a co-founder of Alias and Nemo, as well as director of Artemide G.B. His designs are part of collections such as those at the Cooper Hewitt in New York, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan.