Angelo Lelii’s energetic and imaginative floor lamps, sconces and chandeliers often reflected his singular personality — whimsical but practical. He is responsible for some of the most delightfully eye-pleasing but functional works in the history of Italian mid-century modern lighting design.
Lelii was born Paolo Angelo Lelii in the seaport town of Ancona and moved to Milan when he was quite young. Not much is known about his early life — online resources frequently have his last name misspelled “Lelli” — except that he studied at the Superior Institute of Industrial Art in nearby Monza.
While there was no shortage of pioneering work being done in the field of mid-century modern lighting design, Lelii was a visionary whose dream was to create technologically advanced lighting that embodied the simple lines of modern design but would be defined by his own imaginative twists. In 1943, Lelii opened his first workshop in a tiny basement in Monza, under the name Arredoluce. A few years later, he designed the single-light, bent-arm Tris floor lamp. Later that year, he exhibited his Triennale floor lamp at the Milan Triennale VIII and garnered wide acclaim. This iconic, slender lamp features three adjustable arms with enameled aluminum shades.
Lelii’s sculptural fixtures in brass and cast iron appeared in the acclaimed design journal Domus, and he embarked on high-profile collaborations with Italian modernist legends such as Gio Ponti — a giant of architecture and design as well as a founder of Domus — Memphis Group member Ettore Sottsass Jr. and the brothers Castiglioni (formally known as Achille, Pier Giacomo and Livio).
Massive success followed for Arredoluce from the late 1950s and into the 1960s. For Lelii, there was his seminal Stella ceiling lamp, featuring opaque, acid-etched glass globe shades; his minimalist Cobra table lamp, which was one of the world’s first low voltage light fixtures; and his aptly named Eye floor lamp. Lelii continued to oversee design and production at his revolutionary lighting firm until his death in 1979.
Find vintage Angelo Lelii lighting on 1stDibs.
Brass and Glass Low Table by Angelo Lelii
By Angelo Lelii
Located in London, GB
Brass and glass low table by Angelo Lelii The same frame design was used for a magazine rack, Model n°13007, published in "Arredoluce", Catalogue Raisonné, Silvana Editoriale, Mil...
Brass
Angelo Lelii for Arredoulce, Triennale, Mid-century Italian Floor Lamp
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in New York, NY
Floor lamp with three articulated arms, each conical shade enameled in different colors. Marked "Made in Italy / Arredoluce Monza"
Metal
$8,995Sale Price|25% Off
H 79 in W 46 in D 46 in
1960s Arredoluce Triennale Floor Lamp by Angelo Lelii , Monza Italy
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
Arredoluce Triennale chrome floor lamp with enameled shade , model 12128 . Well made with sturdy hardware and construction . Extremely versatile to create sculptural and elegant...
Metal, Aluminum, Chrome
Rare Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce Floor Lamp
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce, floor lamp, coated aluminum and brass, brass, marble, Italy, design circa 1954 An exceptionally rare floor lamp, designed by the acclaimed lighting des...
Marble, Aluminum, Brass
Floor Lamp by Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce, Italy, 1950s
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
There is something almost airborne about this floor lamp. From a flat, organically shaped marble base, a slender red-lacquered stem rises vertically, meeting a long brass arm that ex...
Metal, Brass
$17,500Sale Price|22% Off
H 91 in W 48 in D 48 in
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce Model 12128 Triennale Floor Lamp Brass & White
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Hanover, MA
SATURDAY SALE Arredoluce "Triennale" solid brass floor lamp model 12128 designed by Angelo Lelii in 1947, produced in 1954. One owner. 100% original. Nothing replaced nor added. Ful...
Aluminum, Brass
$12,000
H 75 in W 43 in D 51 in
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce Triennale Floor Lamp, model 12128 Italy, c. 1947
By Alfred Lelli, Arredoluce
Located in Chicago, IL
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce Triennale Floor Lamp, model 12128 Italy, c. 1947 Brass adjustable arms with enamel aluminum shades and brass stem. dimensions: 75 h × 43 w × 51 d in Condi...
Aluminum, Brass
Angelo Lelii “Polifemo” Floor Lamp for Arredoluce, 1956
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Angelo Lelii “Polifemo” floor lamp for Arredoluce, iron, brass, glass and marble, Italy, 1956. The "Polifemo" floor lamp, designed by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce in 1956, is a notab...
Marble, Brass, Iron
$10,398
H 61.03 in Dm 23.63 in
Arredoluce Triennale Floor Lamp, by Angelo Lelii, model 12128, Italy circa 1947
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Angelo Lelii "Triennale" floor lamp, model 12128 Chrome plated brass stand with lacquered aluminium shades in black, white and grey. Multi adjustable arms with counterweight handles...
Aluminum, Brass, Chrome
Pair of Satin Brass and Glass Side Tables by Pace Collection
By Pace Collection
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A pair of 1970s satin brass and glass side tables by Pace Collection. New 1/2”thick glass tops. Dim: 20” diameter 16.25 high.
Brass
$17,677
H 70.87 in W 47.25 in D 31.5 in
Arredoluce 'Triennale' Floor Lamp, designed by Angelo Lelii, circa 1950
By Arredoluce, Angelo Lelii
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
"Triennale" floor lamp, designed by Angelo Lelii An iconic mid-century classic introduced circa 1950, this example of 50's production by Lelii's own Arredoluce Company based in Monz...
Metal, Brass, Enamel
Angelo Lelii Arredoluce standard floor lamp Italy 1956
By Arredoluce, Angelo Lelii
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
This minimalist floor lamp, designed by Angelo Lelii and manufactured by Arredoluce in Italy in 1956, is an exquisite example of mid-century lighting design. As an early creation by ...
Marble, Metal
$29,950
H 70.48 in W 26.78 in D 19.69 in
Angelo Lelii Model "Televisione" Floor Lamp for Arredoluce, Italy 1956
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Utrecht, NL
Italian designers and manufacturers were true pioneers of mid-century lighting design. Angelo Lelii, the 20th century Italian designer, created never-before-seen shapes and forms, an...
Metal
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce 'Siluro' Floor Lamp
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce, floor lamp 'Siluro', model '12628', Carrara marble, coated steel, brass, plexiglass, Italy, circa 1957 This floor lamp, designed by Angelo Lelii for Arr...
Carrara Marble, Brass, Steel