Charlotte Perriand CP-1 Wall Lamps
View Similar Items
Charlotte Perriand CP-1 Wall Lamps
About the Item
- Creator:Steph Simon (Maker),Charlotte Perriand (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)Width: 5 in (12.7 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Lamps vary in condition– Some are in very good condition, most show signs of age and use (scuffs, scratches, minor loss to the paint), a couple show discoloration from bulb heat.
- Seller Location:Highland, IN
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU909121343192
CP-1 Wall Lamps
French architect Charlotte Perriand (1903–99) was an inimitable trailblazer in the field of design, defining modern living in the 20th century through her pursuit of functionality. The sleek CP-1 wall lamps she created in the 1960s represent her belief that design wasn’t meant to produce merely decorative objects, but objects that responded to the needs of the user most practically and efficiently.
In the 1920s, design was plagued with sexism (the landscape has since improved, but there is still much room for growth) — the Bauhaus, for example, admitted women but they were encouraged to enroll in weaving workshops. In the face of structures like this, Perriand trained as an architect and built a triumphant, multifaceted career. She famously worked alongside giants of mid-century design like Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and later with Jean Prouvé and Fernand Léger, creating towering, decorative bookcases and codesigning icons such as the tubular steel LC4 Chaise Longue (1928) along the way.
Perriand, an unsung visionary in a world crowded by the names of celebrated men, was preoccupied with understanding how people lived and moved through spaces. She called this the “art of living,” writing that “…the profession of architecture is work in the service of humanity.” The minimalist CP-1 wall lamps embody this belief: Their enameled sheet-metal plates are positioned over the bulb, and the plates pivot and rotate so that the user can control the direction and intensity of light.
Much like the ideals of the modernist movement from which they emerged, the CP-1 wall lamps — originally sold exclusively by Galerie Steph Simon in Paris — are outwardly unexceptional, but their ingenuity lies in Perriand’s deep understanding of the needs of their users. Through her remarkable career, she helped define an ideology that continues to inspire generations of designers.
Charlotte Perriand
A pioneer of modernism in France, Charlotte Perriand was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century design and architecture. In her long career, Perriand’s aesthetic grammar constantly evolved, moving from the tubular steel furniture of the Machine Age to a lyrical naturalism.
Perriand’s studies at the Ecole de L'Union Centrale de Arts Decoratifs left her enthralled by Le Corbusier and his vision of a new, rational architecture. In 1924, she joined his studio to design furniture along with Pierre Jeanneret, Corbu’s partner and cousin. Together, they devised some of the finest examples of early modernist furniture, including two icons of the era: the B306 chaise with its swooping frame and hide upholstery; and the chunky, steel-framed Grand Confort club chair. Collaborative design produced another Perriand triumph: in the early 1950s, she and Jean Prouvé were engaged to produce desks, worktables and bookcases for the University of Paris. The bookcases — slim pine shelves with brightly painted aluminum dividers — are minimalist masterpieces.
By the end of that decade, Perriand’s aesthetic had changed completely from the earliest days of her career. She produced a series of furniture in ebonized wood: chairs with gentle S-curve legs, front and back; tables with elliptical tops. In the mid-1960s, she adopted an almost rustic look, designing simple chairs with dowel-cut frames and rush seats. Yet everything in Perriand’s oeuvre is beautiful, whether it’s the centerpiece of a décor or an accent. Charlotte Perriand’s work is in every great design collection, public and private. Works on these pages will show you why.
- Motoko Ishii for Staff Leuchten Wall Lamps / SculptureBy Motoko Ishii, Staff LeuchtenLocated in Highland, INDesigned by Motoko Ishii for Staff Leuchten, Germany in the 1970s these terrific lamps are equal parts lighting and sculpture. The bases are made of chrome-plated plastic and metal w...Category
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsSteel
- Minimalist Pair of Chrome Wall Sconces in the Manner of JereBy Curtis JeréLocated in Highland, INThis pair of elegant, minimalist wall sconce lamps feature chrome-plated semi-circular-shaped steel shades concealing two bulb fixtures that cast light upward and downward. They are ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsSteel
- Tommi Parzinger Brass Five-Arm Candelabra Sconce by DorlynBy Dorlyn Silversmiths, Tommi ParzingerLocated in Highland, INAn elegant modern five-arm candle sconce designed by Tommi Parzinger. Each arm extends from a group mounted on a rectangular backplate with an incised linear design.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBrass
- Ceramic Wall Relief by Clyde BurtBy Clyde BurtLocated in Highland, INA terrific wall piece by ceramic artist Clyde Burt (1922-1981). This work was inspired by Jeanne-Paule Marie, better known as Sœur Sourire, "The Singing Nun" who was internationally famous in the mid 1960s. Some of Burt's signature styles are evident in this piece including the stylized faces, and geometric abstracted space around the figures. Clyde Burt (1922-1981) is recognized as an important figure in the American studio ceramics movement. He studied at Fort Wayne Art School, the Cape Cod School...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
MaterialsCeramic, Wood
- Jere "School of Fish" Wall SculptureBy Curtis JeréLocated in Highland, INThis early design by Curtis Jere for Artisan House features a dense school of fish swimming together. Cleverly balancing the representational and abstract, the sculpture activates a...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
MaterialsMetal
- Raymor Wall Mirror attributed to Arthur UmanoffBy Arthur Umanoff, RaymorLocated in Highland, INThis lovely little wall mirror has an iron frame wrapped in papercord creating delightful shadow-play and giving it a wonderful texture and organic modern quality. It is marked with ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsIron
- Cp-1 Wall Lights by Charlotte PerriandBy Charlotte Perriand, Steph SimonLocated in Los Angeles, CAIconic enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand with adjustable reflectors in rare grey finish, optional horizontal or vertical mou...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal
- CP-1 Wall Lights by Charlotte PerriandBy Charlotte Perriand, Steph SimonLocated in Los Angeles, CAIconic enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand with adjustable reflectors in rare yellow finish, optional horizontal or vertical m...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal
- Charlotte Perriand "CP-1" Wall Lights, 1960By Charlotte Perriand, Steph SimonLocated in Los Angeles, CAIconic black and white enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand, adjustable reflectors, can be mounted horizontally or vertically, manufactured and distributed by Steph Simon, Pari...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal
$1,300 / item - Red CP-1 Wall Lights by Charlotte Perriand, 1960By Charlotte Perriand, Steph SimonLocated in Los Angeles, CAIconic enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand with adjustable reflectors in rare red finish, optional horizontal or vertical mount, manufactured and distributed by Steph Simon, P...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal
$1,600 / item - Grey CP1 Wall Lights by Charlotte Perriand, France 1968By Steph Simon, Charlotte PerriandLocated in Dallas, TXThe iconic enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand from the 1960’s designed for the apartments of the ski resort Les Arcs in the French Alps. Its adjustable reflectors, can be mo...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal, Enamel
$1,500 / item - Yellow CP1 Wall Lights by Charlotte Perriand, France 1968By Steph Simon, Charlotte PerriandLocated in Dallas, TXThe iconic enameled wall lights by Charlotte Perriand from the 1960’s designed for the apartments of the ski resort Les Arcs in the French Alps. Its adjustable reflectors, can be mo...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal, Enamel