10 FontanaArte Lighting Icons with Timeless Design Stories
Since 1932, FontanaArte has shaped modern lighting with pieces that are as functional as they are beautiful. Below are 10 standout designs, now available at LoftModern, each with a story that highlights its place in design history and why it’s as relevant today as ever.
1. Bilia Mini Table Lamp
Designer & Year: Gio Ponti, 1932
Story: Nothing more than a perfect sphere balanced atop a cone, Bilia showcases Ponti’s genius for combining elementary forms into an original, perfectly proportioned object. From Ponti’s handwritten notes to today’s vivid chromatic finishes, Bilia Mini remains an unpretentious icon of Italian design.
2. Optunia Table Lamp
Designer & Year: Claesson Koivisto Rune, 2017
Story: Inspired by the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), Optunia’s two rotating discs unlock nearly 360° of light direction, blending direct and indirect illumination in one elegant silhouette.
3. Pallina Table Lamp
Designer & Year: FontanaArte, 2019
Story: A mid-century showpiece reborn, Pallina’s pure glass sphere nods to 1940s–50s Italian theatre with its simple, serial elegance—one, no one, one hundred thousand.
4. Chiara Table Lamp
Designer & Year: FontanaArte Design Lab, 2003
Story: From in-house R&D, Chiara distills the classic table lamp into an extra-small form, proving that good design needn’t take up much space.
5. Lunaire Wall/Ceiling Light
Designer & Year: Ferréol Babin, 2013
Story: With two discs that slide to switch between backlighting and reflector-inside illumination, Lunaire evokes an eclipse and adapts its effect to any mood.
6. Uovo Medium Table Lamp
Designer & Year: Ben Swildens, 1972
Story: Uovo transforms the egg into a light sculpture—its white blown-glass shell diffuses a warm glow, marrying symmetry with the organic imperfection of nature.
7. Equatore Table Lamp Medium
Designer & Year: Gabriele & Oscar Buratti, 2017
Story: Equatore’s overlapping polycarbonate discs layer downlight and soft glow, a poetic study of horizons in light form.
8. Blom Table Lamp
Designer & Year: Andreas Engesvik, 2013
Story: With petal-shaped blades that rotate to shield glare or reveal brightness, Blom blends playful form with adjustable function.
9. Fontana Table Lamp Large
Designer & Year: Max Ingrand, 1954
Story: Originally called “1853,” this lamp’s dual-control switching and iconic silhouette cemented its status as the archetypal abat-jour in modern interiors.
10. Fontana LED Table Lamp Large
Designer & Year: Max Ingrand, 1954 (LED update)
Story: Retaining the original “1853” form, this LED rendition updates Ingrand’s vision with integrated, efficient lighting and the same timeless profile.
Each FontanaArte work is more than a light source—it’s a chapter of design history, crafted with Italian artistry that will outshine passing trends. Shop the full collection →