Artemide Nessino Table Lamp by Giancarlo Mattioli

Artemide Nessino Table Lamp by Giancarlo Mattioli is a compact icon of 1960s Italian lighting design, instantly recognizable by its mushroom-shaped silhouette and expressive color. Designed in 1967, Nessino uses a broad curved shade supported by a slender pedestal base to conceal four light sources and distribute a soft, diffused glow around the lamp.

Made in Italy from injection-molded ABS thermoplastic, Nessino reflects the experimentation with plastics and industrial production that helped define Space Age and modern Italian design during the late 1960s. Its continuous molded form gives the lamp a playful sculptural quality while keeping the overall dimensions compact enough for nightstands, side tables, desks, shelving and consoles.

Nessino is the smaller counterpart to Artemide's celebrated Nesso lamp, translating the same organic geometry into a more compact 12.6-inch diameter format. Available in eight colors—from White and Black to Orange, Red, Yellow, Green, Light Blue and Klein Blue—it can function as a quiet neutral accent or become the focal point of a room.

Why Choose the Artemide Nessino?

• Iconic 1967 design: A recognizable example of Italian modern lighting designed by Giancarlo Mattioli.
• Compact mushroom silhouette: Approximately 12.6 inches in diameter and 8.8 inches high, making Nessino easy to place on nightstands, desks and side tables.
• Soft diffused light: Four bulbs sit beneath the curved shade, distributing illumination around the lamp instead of producing a single concentrated beam.
• Eight expressive colors: Choose from Black, Klein Blue, Green, Light Blue, Orange, Red, White and Yellow.
• Replaceable bulbs: The North American version uses four E12/G16.5 light sources, allowing bulbs to be replaced rather than relying on a permanently integrated LED.
• Made in Italy: Manufactured by Artemide using injection-molded ABS thermoplastic.

Nessino, Nesso and 1960s Italian Design

Nessino is closely related to Artemide's larger Nesso table lamp, sharing its distinctive organic form and concealed multi-bulb lighting concept in a smaller footprint. The design's use of molded thermoplastic was especially significant when introduced in 1967, when Italian designers were exploring how new industrial materials could produce forms that were difficult to achieve using traditional glass and metal construction.

Today, that combination of compact proportions, rounded geometry and saturated color makes Nessino equally at home in mid-century modern, contemporary and eclectic interiors. Use White or Black for a more restrained look, or choose Orange, Red, Yellow, Green or one of the blue finishes when the lamp is intended to work as both lighting and a decorative color accent.

Product Details

Shipping Info