Two Isamu Noguchi ‘Akari’ Pendants Mod, 45A for Steph Simon, France c1950
About the Item
- Creator:Steph Simon (Manufacturer),Isamu Noguchi (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)Diameter: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Power Source:Hardwired
- Lampshade:Included
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:Rewired. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:
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 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, he 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: a sleek clock-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. As you will see on 1stDibs, they have the same power and presence that Noguchi brought to his art.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Two-arm ceiling light, Italy, 1950sLocated in London, GBBifurcating out from the stem of this ceiling light are two cupped shades, reminiscent of Calla lilies. Pointed in opposing directions the shades project a warm glow across any room.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950By Robert Sentou, Charlotte PerriandLocated in London, GBSet of four or six available. Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t em...Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsStraw, Pine
- Set of Six Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950By Robert Sentou, Charlotte PerriandLocated in London, GBCharlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t embroider cushions here.” Not dete...Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsPine, Straw
- Set of Four Charlotte Perriand Dordogne Chairs for Robert Sentou, France c1950By Robert Sentou, Charlotte PerriandLocated in London, GBSet of six available. Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), a key figure of European modernism, famously started her career with a rebuff from Le Corbusier’s studio: “We don’t embroider ...Category
Mid-20th Century French Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsStraw, Pine
- Sergio Mazza ‘Pi Cavo’ pendants for Artemide, Italy 1962By Sergio MazzaLocated in London, GBSergio Mazza’s ‘Pi Cavo’ lights, designed for Artemide, are part of a range of lighting designs named after letters in the Greek alphabet including Delta, Gamma, Kappa, and Tau. They...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Nickel
- Luigi Caccia Dominioni Bidone pendant, Azucena, Italy, 1960sBy Luigi Caccia Dominioni, AzucenaLocated in London, GBLuigi Caccia Dominioni, one of the world’s oldest practicing architects until he died in 2016 aged 103, was according to Pin Up magazine – “the architect’s architect”. Visible in eve...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass
- Isamu Noguchi Akari 45A, Ozeki, 1951By Isamu NoguchiLocated in Lille, Hauts-de-FranceAn Akari model « 45A » by Isamu Noguchi Original shade in washi & bamboo rims Structure in black lacquered metal Hand-made form realized by Ozeki Company, Gifu, Japan Series star...Category
Vintage 1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBamboo, Paper
- Akari 45A by Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki, 1951By Isamu NoguchiLocated in Lille, Hauts-de-FranceAn Akari model “45A” by the famous artist Isamu Noguchi Original shade in washi & bamboo rims Structure in black lacquered metal Hand-made form realized by Ozeki Company, Gifu, Ja...Category
Vintage 1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Early and Rare 45XL Akari Pendant by Isamu Noguchi for Ozeki, 1950sBy Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu NoguchiLocated in Echt, NLEarly 45XL Akari lamp in excellent condition. Designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1951 Produced by Ozeki & Co., Ltd. New old stock, 4 items available! Model 45XL is a square 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
- Isamu Noguchi Akari 45XL, Ozeki, 1951By Isamu NoguchiLocated in Lille, Hauts-de-FranceAkari model “45XL” by Isamu Noguchi Original shade in washi & bamboo rims Structure in black lacquered metal Hand-made form realized by Ozeki Company, Gifu, Japan Series started in 1951 Early model with the iconic red logo, the Sun and the MoonCategory
Vintage 1950s Japanese Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Isamu Noguchi Akari 45D Pendant Lamp: Timeless Japanese EleganceBy Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu NoguchiLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaExperience the timeless elegance of the Isamu Noguchi Akari 45D Pendant Lamp, a design masterpiece that transcends generations. Created in 1951 and expertly manufactured by Ozeki & C...Category
Vintage 1980s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsPaper
- Large Early J1 Akari Pendant by Isamu Noguchi for Ozeki, 1950sBy Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu NoguchiLocated in Echt, NLEarly Large J! Akari lamp in excellent condition. Designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1951 Produced by Ozeki & Co., Ltd. New old stock! Model J1 is a large square 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
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.