Poul Henningsen, Artichoke 60 lamp for Louis Poulsen

POUL HENNINGSEN (Denmark, 1894 - 1967) for LOUIS POULSEN.
Ceiling lamp "Artichoke (Koglen)", design 1957-1959 for the Langelinie Pavilion in Copenhagen.
With 72 copper leaves set on 12 chrome-plated steel arches with suspension. Canopy and a socket housing in chromed aluminum.
In good condition.
Measurements: 60 cm diameter.

The ceiling lamp 'Koglen' -or Artichoke- consists of 72 leaves in copper, placed on 12 chrome-plated steel arches, which protect the light source, redirect and reflect the light on the underlying leaves, providing a unique and distinctive illumination free of reflections in its 360 degrees. Complete with chrome-plated aluminum cap. The original Koglen was developed for the Langelinie Pavilion restaurant in Copenhagen. The PH Artichoke is a classic icon of 20th century Scandinavian design.

Poul Henningsen began his prolific career in lamp design in the early 20th century. In 1924, after 10 years of scientific studies, he began working with Louis Poulsen on his unique system of shades that were intended to provide a soft, warm light that would not dazzle.

Danish designer, architect and critic, Poul Henningsen was one of the key figures in the cultural life of Denmark in the interwar period. He studied architecture between 1911 and 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 avoid glare and create an aesthetic effect of great beauty. Its success enabled Henningsen to finance his later work. He is currently representing at the Danish Museum of Art and Design, the MoMA in New York and the Victoria & Albert in London, among many others.