BOALUM SNAKE lamp - L. Castiglioni- G. Frattini - ARTEMIDE - ITALY 1970.

Livio Castiglioni and his siblings Achille (1918–2002) and Pier Giacomo (1913–68) are responsible for creating some of the most iconic furniture designs in the world, particularly those that originated in the realm of mid-century modern lighting. Punctuating their legacy, the trio was among the founders of Italy’s Association for Industrial Design (ADI), which awards the country’s most prestigious and highly coveted design prize — the Compasso d'Oro. 

In 1936, Livio completed his studies in architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. By 1938, he, Pier Giacomo and fellow Italian industrial designer and architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni opened their own firm in Milan. Architects at that time were struggling to secure building commissions, so the group focused on designing everyday objects such as the Model 547, a tabletop radio for Phonola that was encased in Bakelite. By 1944, the youngest brother, Achille, had also graduated from Milan Polytechnic and joined his siblings at their studio.

The Castiglioni brothers produced wildly popular and innovative designs throughout the 20th century. Vintage furniture collectors may be familiar with Livio and Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini’s serpent-like Boalum lamp or Achille’s Taraxacum hanging lamp, which was created for FLOS with sprayed plastic polymers originally intended for military use. Additionally, the Arco, Snoopy and Toio lamps, which were the result of the collaboration between Pier Giacomo and Achille, are milestones in modernist lighting design.

Despite achieving success as an industrial designer, Livio left the firm in 1952 to pursue lighting design and sound technology. He worked as a design consultant for companies such as Brionvega. 

Together with his son, Piero, Livio created the Scintilla lighting system for Fontana Arte in the 1970s and continued to design for multiple brands including Alessi, Artemide and Stilnovo until he passed away in 1979.

Find vintage Livio Castiglioni lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Artemide is an iconic firm in the design world. The mid-century Italian company is one of the best known lighting manufacturers and its award-winning fixtures are held in museum collections everywhere. Vintage Artemide table lamps, pendants, ceiling lamps and other lighting represent a thoughtful merge between functionalism and eye-catching design.

Artemide, which is based in Pregnana, was founded by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza in 1959. During that year, Mazza created the first table lamp for the manufacturer — a modernist work in glass, marble and metal that he called the Alfa. Gismondi, who studied aeronautical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan and missile engineering at Rome’s Professional School of Engineering, applied his knowledge of cutting edge technology and materials such as fiberglass resin to Artemide’s designs for lighting and furniture.

In 1967, Artemide won Italy’s Compasso d'Oro design award for its Eclisse table lamp, which was designed by Vico Magistretti two years earlier. Other award-winning fixtures include the Tizio table lamp designed by Richard Sapper and the Tolomeo table lamp.

Designed by Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo featured the patented George Carwardine mechanism used in the original Anglepoise lamp. De Lucchi would later be recruited to join visionary postmodern design collective the Memphis Group. Artemide’s Gismondi purchased the brand after founder Ettore Sottsass dismantled the collective in 1988, and it was bought by Alberto Bianchi Albrici in 1996.

Artemide’s list of design, innovation, sustainability and other industry awards is long and distinguished. The firm continues to actively collaborate with internationally revered designers and seek out new talent through workshops with design schools. The company’s deeply held values — energy-saving lighting, sustainable design and ethically sourced materials — characterize its current offerings, and Artemide furniture and lighting can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions.

On 1stDibs, find Artemide tables, seating, floor lamps, chandeliers and more.