Poul Henningsen

POUL HENNINGSEN (Denmark, 1894–1967).
PH 4/4 ceiling lamp.
Brass and original white-painted copper shades.
Condition: Good original condition. No restorations.
Provenance: Private collection.
Measurements: 36 cm high x 40 cm in diameter.

The PH 4/4 is part of the renowned lighting system developed by Poul Henningsen beginning in 1925–1926, a project that would radically change the understanding of domestic lighting throughout the 20th century. In collaboration with Louis Poulsen, Henningsen developed a system of lampshades designed to control light, reduce glare, and achieve more uniform and comfortable lighting. The principle was as innovative as it was simple in appearance: the light bulb was concealed by a series of shades, arranged according to mathematical proportions derived from the lituus curve. Each shade intercepts and reflects a portion of the light, directing it primarily downward and preventing the light source from being directly visible. Henningsen was one of the first designers to approach lighting from a truly scientific perspective, studying the relationship between light, reflection, shadow, and visual perception. The designation PH 4/4 corresponds to Henningsen’s measurements: the number identifies the size of the shades and their proportions within the PH family. The system allowed for numerous combinations of sizes, materials, and colors, resulting in hundreds of different models over the decades. The historical significance of this approach is reflected at Designmuseum Danmark, which houses a prototype of the three-shade PH system from 1926. The museum notes that it was precisely with one of these lamps that it became Denmark’s first electrically lit museum in 1926
A Danish designer, architect, and critic, Poul Henningsen was one of the key figures in Danish 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 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 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.