Angelo Brotto, for Esperia

ANGELO BROTTO (Venice, 1914 – Campiglia Marittima, 2002) for Esperia.
“Hermes” table lamp. Italy, 1970s.
Walnut, brass, and fabric shade.
It retains its original Esperia label.
New Old Stock (NOS) item, unused, with slight surface marks from storage.
Measurements: 85.5 x 25 x 20 cm.

With a distinctly sculptural and architectural presence, the “Hermes” table lamp embodies the experimental spirit of the lighting designs developed by Angelo Brotto for Esperia during the 1970s. The base is constructed from a geometric walnut structure, articulated through staggered and hollow volumes that accentuate its verticality, while the brass elements introduce warm, lustrous hallmarks against the dark wood.

The lighting is not limited to the large rectangular shade at the top: two additional light sources integrated into the structure shine onto the central sphere, creating reflections and a play of light and shadow that reinforce the design’s sculptural character. The shade, with its rigorous geometry, balances the expressiveness of the base and completes a composition in which functionality and artistic exploration are closely intertwined.

Angelo Brotto trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice and pursued a career linked to both the applied arts and lighting design. From the late 1950s onward, he maintained a close collaboration with Esperia, for which he created numerous models characterized by experimentation with light, metal, and sculptural volumes. His work from the 1960s and 1970s represents one of the most recognizable contributions to postwar Italian lighting design.