Model 31N Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
View Similar Items
Model 31N Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
About the Item
- Creator:Isamu Noguchi (Designer),Akari (Manufacturer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 72 in (182.88 cm)Diameter: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Patina to the shade, paper is consistent with age.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: CF24411stDibs: LU794717820952
Akari Light Sculpture
It was a trip to Japan in the spring of 1951 that inspired artist and designer Isamu Noguchi (1904–88) to create the Akari light sculpture. Noguchi was passing through the city of Gifu, in central Japan, and observed a traditional nighttime festival in which fishermen use cormorants to help them catch fish. Each boat was equipped with a chochin lantern to light its way. Noguchi — one of the 20th century’s most inventive artists — was enraptured with the beauty of these traditional decorative lamps, which were made locally from mulberry bark and bamboo.
The artist met with Gifu’s mayor, who explained that he was seeking a way to reinvigorate his city’s lantern industry. Aiming to bring the chochin’s traditional design into the 20th century, Noguchi made multiple prototypes with an incandescent bulb in place of a candle. He named the updated lantern Akari, which means both illumination and lightness in Japanese. Noguchi debuted his Akari light sculpture at an exhibition of his work at the Museum of Modern Art in Kamakura in 1952. It caught on immediately, not only as a piece of art but also as a functional design.
Since 1951, Noguchi’s Akari lanterns have been handcrafted in Gifu. Fabricators stretch bamboo ribbing across molded wood forms, then glue washi paper — made from the bark of the mulberry tree — to the inside and outside of the resulting frame. Once the glue dries, the shape is set, and the internal wood form can be disassembled and removed. The lanterns are collapsible, a traditional feature that Noguchi insisted on keeping. They can thus be shipped flat around the world in shallow boxes or slender envelopes, and then easily unpacked and installed. This feature contributes to the sculpture’s practicality. As Noguchi was fond of saying, “All you require to start a home are a room, a tatami and Akari."
Isamu Noguchi
A sculptor, painter, ceramicist and furniture and lighting designer, Isamu Noguchi was one of the most prolific and protean creative forces of the 20th century and a key figure in the development of organic modernism. Noguchi’s sculptures and designs — his chairs and tables as well as his timeless Akari lamp and other lighting fixtures — share a common spirit: one of lyrical abstraction, tempo and flow and harmonious balance.
Noguchi was born in Los Angeles to an American mother and Japanese father, and spent most of his childhood in Japan. He returned to the United States at age 13, went to high school in Indiana and enrolled at Columbia University to study medicine. At the same time, he took night courses in sculpture.
Within three months, Noguchi left college to pursue art full time. Noguchi was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1927 and traveled to Paris to work under Constantin Brancusi. It marked a turning point. Inspired by Brancusi, Noguchi embraced abstraction and began to sculpt in the expressive, rhythmic style that would be the hallmark of his work.
Once back in New York, Noguchi was introduced to design by what would become a lifelong collaboration creating sets for choreographer Martha Graham. His first industrial designs were in Bakelite: the sleek Measured Time kitchen timer created circa 1932, and his famed Zenith Radio Nurse intercom, from 1937.
Ten years later, Herman Miller introduced Noguchi’s now-iconic glass-topped coffee table with an articulated wooden base. His washi paper and bamboo Akari light sculptures, handmade in Japan, debuted in 1951. In the late 1950s, Noguchi designed for Knoll, creating such pieces as his dynamic Cyclone table and rocking stool.
For collectors, Noguchi’s furniture and lighting designs remain his most accessible work — they have the same power and presence that Noguchi brought to his art.
Find vintage Isamu Noguchi floor lamps, table lamps, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Model 338 Suspension Light by Carlo Nason for MazzegaBy Mazzega, Carlo NasonLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel 338 Suspension Light by Carlo Nason for Mazzega. Originally designed in 1967. Current production by Mazzega designed ...Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsCopper
$11,500 / item - Model HMB 27/250 Bauhaus Suspension Light by Marianne BrandtBy Marianne Brandt, TecnolumenLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel HMB 27/250 Bauhaus suspension light by Marianne Brandt. Originally manufactured in 1926. Current production manufactured in Germany by Tecnolumen. Nickel plated metal, opaque g...Category
2010s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsNickel
- Model 2220 Ceiling Light by Max Ingrand for Fontana ArteBy Fontana Arte, Max IngrandLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel 2220 Ceiling Light by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte. Designed and manufactured in Italy, circa the 1960s. A teardrop formed brass shade makes up the exterior portion of this sim...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass
- Model KD14 Ceiling Light by Sergio Asti for KartellBy Sergio Asti, KartellLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel KD14 Ceiling Light by Sergio Asti for Kartell. Designed and manufactured in Italy, circa 1963. Acrylic suspension lamp with subtle brass detailing, and banding perforations alo...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Metal
- Model 2054 Ceiling Light by Max Ingrand for Fontana ArteBy Fontana Arte, Max IngrandLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel 2054 ceiling light by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte. Designed and manufactured in Italy, 1956. Nickel-plated brass, curved, satin and ground crystal. Rewired for U.S. standards....Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsCrystal, Brass, Nickel
- Model HL3S 81 Le Tre Streghe Suspension Light by Günter LeuchtmannBy TecnolumenLocated in Los Angeles, CAModel HL3S 81 "Le Tre Streghe" suspension light by Günter Leuchtmann. Originally designed in 1981. Current production designed in Germany by Tecnolum...Category
2010s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsChrome, Metal
- Isamu Noguchi Akari Ceiling Lamp 31NBy Isamu NoguchiLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaPendant lamp model 31N designed by Isamu Noguchi. Manufactured by Ozeki & Company Ltd. (Japan.) Bamboo ribbing structure covered by washi paper manufactured according to the tradit...Category
1990s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture, Model 31N Ceiling LampBy Isamu NoguchiLocated in Centreville, VAAkari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are considered icons of 1950s modern design. Designed by Noguchi beginning in 1951 and handmade for a half century by the original manufacture...Category
Vintage 1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsBamboo, Paper
- Isamu Noguchi Akari 31N, Ozeki, 1951By Isamu NoguchiLocated in Lille, Hauts-de-FranceAkari model “31N” by Isamu Noguchi Light sculptural column Original shade in washi & bamboo rims Tie in black lacquered metal Hand-made form rea...Category
Vintage 1950s Japanese Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Monumental Akari Model 70F Light Sculpture by Isamu NoguchiBy Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Akari, Isamu NoguchiLocated in Glendale, CAMonumental Akari model 70F light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. The shade is made from handmade washi paper and bamboo ribs with original Noguchi Akari manufactu...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers an...
MaterialsMetal
- Large Early 31N Akari Pendant by Isamu Noguchi for Ozeki, 1950sBy Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1Located in Echt, NLEarly Large 31N Akari lamp in excellent condition. Designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1951 Produced by Ozeki & Co., Ltd. New old stock! Model 31N is a large round shaped pendant in the Akari series, This example features the earliest manufacturer's mark, a red sun and half-moon insignia. The lamp is made out of Japanese washi paper, bamboo and metal. In 1951 Isamu Noguchi visited the town of Gifu, Japan, known for its manufacture of lanterns and umbrellas from mulberry bark paper and bamboo. Noguchi designed the first of his lamps that would be produced by the traditional Gifu methods of construction. He called these works Akari, a term meaning light as illumination, but also implying the idea of weightlessness. The fabrication of Akari in Japan at Ozeki & Co. since 1951 followed the traditional methods for Japanese Gifu lanterns...Category
20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Akari Model 2A Light Sculpture by Isamu NoguchiBy Akari, Isamu NoguchiLocated in Glendale, CAAkari model 2A light sculpture by Isamu Noguchii. The shade is made from handmade washi paper, wood and bamboo ribs with authentic Noguchi Akari manufacturer's stamp. Akari light scu...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsMetal
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Iconic Furniture Gives These 1stDibs 50 Rooms Timeless Appeal
A well-made armchair, table or pendant lamp can afford both comfort and convenience. An exceptional one can transform a space. See how the honorees on this year’s 1stDibs 50 list of top interior designers used standout pieces to create the kind of rooms you never want to leave.
How Noguchi Elevated Ashtrays to Objets d’Art
Smoking might have fallen out of fashion, but these ashtrays have enduring design appeal.