Bilia Mini Table Lamp by FontanaArte

Gio Ponti designed the famous Bilia table lamp in the 1930s, composed of a sphere atop a cone.  A perfect synthesis of geometry and industrial production techniques, it exhibited modernity on par with similar experiments with lighting in Germany.  We might mischievously call it “a project that Bauhaus had not been able to make.”  Since Ponti understood that the artistic avant-gardes risked being temporally out of step with their audience, he held off on marketing the lamp until the late Sixties, when he resumed the artistic direction of FontanaArte.  As a testament to this modern classic, the Bilia is still a bestseller in the FontanaArte catalog.

From the start, Gio Ponte was active in architecture, painting, graphics, and set design. He graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1920.  In 1926, with editor Gianni Mazzocchi, he founded the magazine Domus, staying as editor until his death. He was invited to take over the art direction of Luigi Fontana in 1931, and in 1932, he founded FontanaArte with Pietro Chiesa.   He designed numerous famous public and private buildings, including the Pirelli skyscraper in Milan, Taranto Cathedral, Villa Planchart in Caracas, and Denver Museum of Modern Art. 

Made in Italy by FontanaArte.

Dimensions: H 10 1/4"  Dia 4 3/4"

Materials: Blown white satin glass shade.  Metal base with painted (white, blue, satin nickel, red) or galvanized (brass, copper, glossy black).  Bub not included.  Not dimmable.  

Bulb requirement: 6W G9 bulb (2700K, 470Lm)

Technical Data Sheet