With expertise in the design of light, technological research and visionary ideas, Artemide has become one of the best-known lighting manufacturers in the world. The traditional Italian company focuses on high-quality products that are created in collaboration with renowned designers. The Artemide collection is characterized by a unique blend of time-tested classics and innovative luminaire designs. Based on current technologies and decades of experience, timeless Artemide lamps are created, whose light adapts to human needs.
Artemide lights and lamps
"The Human Light"
- People and their well-being are at the center of luminaire design. This philosophy has characterized the development of Artemide luminaires since 1960
- People and their well-being are at the center of luminaire design. This philosophy has characterized the development of Artemide luminaires since 1960
Artemide bestsellers
Artemide – light from generations for generations
Since 1960, Artemide has been synonymous with good light. Under the motto "The Human Light", the Italian manufacturer develops luminaires and lighting systems that are tailored to human needs. Thus, in the course of more than 60 years of company history, design classics have been created that still set standards in terms of lighting quality and function.
Among the most famous designs of the premium manufacturer are the Artemide Tolomeo by Michele De Lucchi, the Tizio by Richard Sapper and the innovative LED luminaire Demetra by Naoto Fukasawa.
The internationally oriented company, with production facilities in Italy, France and Canada, has had a decisive influence on what is happening in the design world. From pop art to Memphis design, from functionalism to minimalism – Artemide always has its finger on the pulse of time.
Tolomeo – a successful product characterized by superlatives
The legendary Tolomeo by Michele de Lucchi is an essential building block in the company history of Artemide. Initially known among architects and designers, today it is one of the most popular desk lamps ever. Given its practical adjustability and sophisticated articulated mechanism, this fact is not at all surprising.
The Artemide Tolomeo Tavolo can be adjusted precisely and flexibly, which means that it always directs its light to the desired location. It hides its high-quality spring-loaded mechanism in a slim frame and only shows off its cable pull system. Thus, the Artemide lamp advances to a timeless eye-catcher on your desk.
Meanwhile, the family includes not only table lamps, but also wall and floor lamps, ceiling and pendant lamps and clamp lamps. The Artemide Tolomeo lamps are available in many different sizes, from the Tolomeo Micro to the Tolomeo Mega.
Pirce – extraordinary lamp with first-class lighting effect
In the Pirce from Artemide, artistic design meets glare-free, indirect light. Characteristic of the luminaire are the extremely flat discs, which are reminiscent of the rings of Saturn, and taper downwards in a spiral shape. The asymmetrical spiral shape turns the designer luminaire into a light sculpture whose outer appearance changes depending on the viewing angle.
The discs reflect the light shining upwards, creating a unique play of light in the room. The manufacturing process is particularly noteworthy: the body of the Artemide Pirce luminaire is cut from just a single aluminum disc.
The pendant, ceiling and wall lights by Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà are available in various sizes and with R7s socket or integrated LEDs.
Tizio – a milestone in desk lighting
With Tizio, Richard Sapper reinvented the desk lamp for Artemide. Developed back in 1972, Sapper was looking for an ideal solution for his own desk. Thanks to the innovative low-voltage technology, he was able to completely dispense with annoying cables and articulated joints. This enabled him to design a mechanism based solely on the principles of balance.
Decades later, the lamp is one of Artemide's absolute design classics. In the meantime, the Tizio is available as a table and floor lamp in various sizes, as well as a modern LED version.
Then as now, the Artemide lamp is characterized by its small lamp head, the filigree arms and the finely balanced counterweights. Through this refined design, the Artemide Tizio provides flexibly alignable zone light and is ideal for desk lighting.
Other popular product families from Artemide
Discover different types of lamps from Artemide
Discover different applications for Artemide luminaires
Outdoor luminaires from Artemide – high-quality outdoor lighting in stylish designs
Whether enchanting islands of light in the garden, path lighting for orientation or atmospheric lighting for the terrace: with Artemide outdoor lights, you can transform your outdoor area into a cozy oasis of light.
Discover, among other things, ground lights for the lawn or the terrace and find wall lights for the house facade. Especially flexible to use outdoors are the Artemide battery lights.
Artemide – time-tested lighting classics meet modern designs
From the foundation until today – the company history of Artemide
Artemide was founded in Milan in 1960 by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza. The first lamp of the manufacturer was Alfa – a table lamp that Mazza had already designed in 1959.
In 1967, Artemide received the coveted Compasso d'Oro design award for Eclisse. The table lamp designed by Vico Magistretti is still a bestseller today. Just two years later, Fato was another Artemide classic. The table lamp by Gio Ponti is a tribute to geometry and enchants with indirect light.
In 1972, Artemide launched the Tizio by Richard Sapper, the first halogen light source. Today, like so many Artemide products, the luminaire has achieved cult status. In the same year, the Italian lighting manufacturer opened its first production facility in Pregnana Milanese in Lombardy, where the company headquarters are still located today. The first branch in the USA was established in 1980.
In 1995, Artemide was awarded the prestigious "Premio Compasso d'Oro alla carriera" prize. A year later, the company presented its new philosophy: "The Human Light". With it, Artemide puts people and their well-being at the center of its luminaire design. The light adapts to the needs of people and their desire for optimal light quality and flexibility.
In 2000, the Modern Classic collection was created with the most famous Artemide products. Four years later, the Danese Milano brand became part of Artemide, and now the luminaires can be found in the Artemide Design collection. In 2017, the Artemide app was introduced, which allows smart lights of the brand to be controlled via smartphone and tablet.
Famous Artemide designers
Inseparably linked with Artemide is the name Ernesto Gismondi. The designer was not only the founder and until his death in 2020 CEO of Artemide, but also designed many lights for his company itself. With his visionary way of thinking, he created stylish Artemide luminaires such as Nur or Discovery.
Also partly responsible for the success of Artemide is Carlotta de Bevilacqua. The designer and architect was married to Ernesto Gismondi and is now the managing director of Artemide. For the traditional Italian company she designed, among other things, Come Together, a battery lamp in the look of a glass carafe.
Richard Sapper also made history with the Artemide Tizio. When it was introduced in 1972, the desk lamp impressed with its low-voltage technology, which was innovative at the time, as well as with its reduced, linear design based on the principles of balance. Meanwhile, the timeless Artemide lamp is also available as an LED version.
Tizio is considered the predecessor of the famous Artemide Tolomeo – one of the most famous desk lamps ever. With the functional lamp Michele De Lucchi recalled classic techniques and mechanisms in 1987: the original Tolomeo lamp integrates an E27 socket and is also characterized by its world-famous rope and spring pull system. The Artemide lamp by De Lucchi is the flagship of the manufacturer and is now available in numerous versions.
The Demetra by Naoto Fukasawa builds on the Tizio and Tolomeo. The Japanese industrial designer coined the term "super normal" together with Jasper Morrison – their answer to the question of what constitutes good design. Fukasawa is known for his functional, timeless designs that are all about utility. Therefore, it is not surprising that Fukasawa took the Tizio and Tolomeo as a model and manufactured the flexibly adjustable LED luminaire for alignable light based on their basic design.
Responsible for some particularly innovative and contemporary Artemide lamps is BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). The internationally respected architecture firm, based in Copenhagen and New York, has created successful products such as Alphabet of Light, Gople, Ripple and La Linea for the Italian premium manufacturer.
Ross Lovegrove creates similarly modern designs. Characteristic of the British industrial designer's objects are organic shapes, as seen in the Mercury ceiling and pendant luminaires . Their light stones, reminiscent of shiny drops of water, seem to float in the room and provide a cozy indirect room lighting.
It is undeniable that Artemide has made – and continues to make – iconic contributions to all design streams of the 20th and 21st centuries. An exemplary example of minimalism, for example, is Teti by Vico Magistretti. The form-reduced Artemide ceiling lamp made of plastic is characterized by its funnel-shaped body and the exposed light source.
In organic design, the Artemide table lamps Nesso and Nessino by Giancarlo Mattioli and the architectural group Città Nuova inspire. Inspired by a jellyfish, the lamps with glare-free mood lighting stem from Artemide's visionary identity.
Artemide also did not leave out the Memphis current in the 80s. For this, the Italian manufacturer collaborated with the co-founder of the Milan-based Memphis group: Ettore Sottsass. The Italian broke with the prevailing rules of functionalism and interpreted everyday forms imaginatively and playfully. A vivid example of this is the Artemide lamp Callimaco Terra LED. The unconventional ceiling floodlight creates indirect room light and provides an extraordinary eye-catcher.