Eclisse Table

Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1965. Compasso d’Oro 1967.

The Eclisse began as a sketch on a Milan subway ticket — Vico Magistretti conceived it while thinking about the lantern of Jean Valjean from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. Designed in 1965 and put into production in 1967, it immediately won the Compasso d’Oro, Italy’s most prestigious design award, and within a decade had entered the permanent collections of MoMA New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, and institutions across Europe, Israel, and North America. It remains one of the most recognized objects in the history of Italian industrial design.

The Eclisse is composed of three nested hemispheres: a flat base, a fixed outer shell, and a rotating inner shell. Turning the inner shell partially or fully over the bulb creates a graduated eclipse — from full brightness to the dimmest ambient glow — without a dimmer switch. The body is available in painted steel (white, orange, red) and in PVD-coated steel (black, brass, copper, mirror), produced through a vacuum deposition process free of the sulphuric acids and cyanides typical of traditional galvanic coating. The lamp can also be wall-mounted using a pin-up bracket.

About the Designer

Vico Magistretti (1920–2006) was born in Milan and trained as an architect, but devoted much of his career to furniture and object design. His work for Artemide, Cassina, Flou, and Kartell established him as one of the principal figures of Italian modernism. He held a lifelong conviction that good design should arise from deep understanding of use — the Eclisse’s rotating shield is a direct expression of this philosophy. His works are held in the permanent collections of MoMA, the V&A, and the Triennale.

Specifications

Designer: Vico Magistretti

Year: 1965 (production 1967)

Manufacturer: Artemide, Italy

Material: Painted steel or PVD-coated steel

Finishes: White, Orange, Red (painted); Black, Brass, Copper, Mirror (PVD)

Dimensions: Ø 12.7 cm × H 17.8 cm

Light source: 1 × max 25W E12 (not included)

Function: Table or wall-mounted

IP Rating: IP20

Country of manufacture: Italy

Warranty: 5 years (Artemide)

Awards: Compasso d’Oro, 1967

Museum collections: MoMA NY, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Triennale Milan, Denver Museum of Art, Israel Museum

Lead time: 10–14 weeks from order confirmation.

Available Through Le Belle Arti

Le Belle Arti is an authorized Artemide dealer serving Edmonton and Calgary. To confirm finish availability, request specifications, or place an order, contact us at info@lebellearti.com or visit either showroom.

For full specifications, materials, and configuration options, visit the Cassina official website.

Material: Lacquered metal | Light source: LED | Style: Table lamp | Year: 1967 | Compasso d'Or 1967 | Collection: Eclisse

Vico Magistretti (1920–2006) was a Milanese architect and designer who created some of the most beloved objects in Italian design history. His Eclisse table lamp for Artemide (1967) won the Compasso d'Oro and remains in production.

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