Poul Henningsen, "The Question Mark" lamp for Louis Poulsen

POUL HENNINGSEN (Denmark, 1894–1967) for Louis Poulsen.
PH 2/2 “The Question Mark” table lamp. Limited edition.
Shades made of three-layer blown opal glass, glossy on the outside, sandblasted on the inside.
Top plate, base, and arm made of untreated brushed brass, fitted with a brown fabric cord.
Adjustable via a handle in the center of the arm (can be tilted 45 degrees to the right and left).
Ships unassembled in the original box. Photos show the finished model.
In perfect condition.
Measurements: 41 x 20 x 20 cm.

The PH 2/2 table lamp, with its question-mark-shaped brass stem, was designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen. It is a variation based on his 1958 PH Artichoke and, like that model, is characterized above all by the quality of a design that visibly enhances the architectural space in which it is placed. The overlapping layers of blown glass that make up its shade use light hallmarks to prevent glare and create a stunning aesthetic effect; they redirect and reflect light, resulting in a unique and distinctive illumination.

A Danish designer, architect, and critic, Poul Henningsen was one of the key figures in Denmark’s cultural life during the interwar period. He studied architecture from 1911 to 1917 but never graduated, as he decided to become an inventor and painter. Nevertheless, he went on to work 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 prevent glare and create a stunning aesthetic effect. Its success allowed Henningsen to finance his later work. His work is currently represented at the Danish Museum of Art and Design, MoMA in New York, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, among many others.