FontanaArte Uovo Table Lamp

Milano, Italy 🇮🇹ETL (Intertek), pending

The FontanaArte Uovo Table Lamp, designed by Ben Swildens in 1972, has a white satin blown glass shell that gives off a warm, uniform light. It is available in three sizes.

“A natural form and timeless symbol of perfection, in which symmetry and asymmetry harmoniously coexist.”

The Design Story

Ben Swildens designed the Uovo in 1972. The shell of the egg contained a light source, which FontanaArte describes as an ironic idea that still works today. As in nature, the shell is the embodiment of absolute lightness, an elegant form in white satin blown glass that gives off a warm, uniform light.

The Uovo is a collection designed for several uses. The Small serves as a tiny utility lamp, and the Large is a light sculpture that is the protagonist of any space.

About the Designer

Ben Swildens, born in 1938, is a Dutch designer. He trained at the Ecole Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, where he took his diploma in 1961. From 1962 to 1969 he worked with the French master glassmaker and decorator Max Ingrand, and Ingrand inspired him to go into industrial design. He launched Point, a company that produces and sells the furniture he designs, and he designed the first Bonpoint stores in France and the United States. In 1985 he founded Ben Swildens Design Architecture, focused on individual residences. Since 2010 he has concentrated mainly on sculpture.

Why You'll Love It

The Uovo's egg shape has a symmetry and an asymmetry that sit together in one form. Its satin glass gives a soft, warm light, and the three sizes let you choose the lamp that fits the room.

Product Details

Sizes and SKUs

Documents

• Technical sheet (PDF)
• Instruction sheet (PDF)

Questions We Hear Most

Why is it called the Uovo?

Uovo is the Italian word for egg. The lamp takes the egg as its form, and its shell is the lamp itself.

What makes the egg shape special?

FontanaArte describes the egg as a natural form and a timeless symbol of perfection. The design puts symmetry and asymmetry in one shape, so the lamp looks balanced from more than one angle.

Why is the Uovo considered a sculpture?

The maker calls the Large a light sculpture and the protagonist of any space. Ben Swildens has concentrated mainly on sculpture since 2010, and the Uovo is one of his lamp designs from 1972.

How does the light work inside the shell?

The light source sits inside the shell, and the white satin blown glass spreads it into a warm, uniform glow. FontanaArte calls the shell an ironic idea that still works today.

Which size should I choose?

The maker describes the Small as a tiny utility lamp and the Large as a light sculpture. The Medium sits between them in the same family.

Is the Uovo certified?

The maker lists ETL (Intertek) certification as pending for the Uovo.

Shipping Info

Free shipping within the U.S. for orders over $100. Most items are final sale.