Gae Aulenti

GAE AULENTI (Palazzolo dello Stella, Italy, 1927-Milan, 2012) for Martinelli Luce
"Pipistrello" table lamp (1965 design).
1980 edition.
Metal and white plastic.
Measurements: 87 cm. height.

The "Pipistrello" table lamp was created by Gae Aulenti in 1965 and produced by Martinelli Luce. It stands out for its original design, inspired (as its name suggests) by a bat: the leaves of the lampshade emulate its wings and the stepped and telescopic foot emulates its body. Pipistrello is not only bold in design, but in innovative techniques for the time. The tapered base grows in height through the ribs of the diffuser. The telescopic stem and translucent shade fuse art and engineering.

Gaetana Aulenti studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Milano, graduating in 1954. Aulenti is one of the few women who have left a deep, sometimes controversial mark on international architecture, as well as on theatrical scenography and industrial design. Among her most outstanding architectural projects are the renovations of the Palazzo Grassi in Venice and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, which led to many subsequent commissions, such as the Italian Pavilion at the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville and the renovation of the National Palace of Montjuïc (Barcelona), the current home of the MNAC.