1960s Vintage Achille Castiglioni Attributed Cocoon Hanging Pendant Lamp

Details

Description

This stunning mid-century pendant, designed by Achille Castiglioni in Italy during the 1960s, is shaped like a diamond and has … Read more This stunning mid-century pendant, designed by Achille Castiglioni in Italy during the 1960s, is shaped like a diamond and has an unmistakable cocoon design.

In exceptional condition with no signs of wear, such as rips or stains, this rare and exquisite pendant features a diamond-shaped shade made from soft, natural resin in a beautiful vintage beige color. The resin seamlessly covers the metal structure, creating a smooth, sensual form. When illuminated, the soft beige shade emits a breathtaking glow.

The light is pre-wired and tested to meet both US and EU/UK standards, using a single E26/27 light bulb.

This timeless and elegant piece is perfect for enhancing a modern organic kitchen or a mid-century modern living room.

Dimensions (cm):

Diameter: 51cm

Height of pendant: 19cm

Overall Height including cord: 77cm

**Note:
-There is not a stamp on this lamp and it is attributed to Catiglioni and mirrors all of his other works. It is an original 1960s vintage example. None of the Castiglioni lamps are stamped, and due to historical reference this is identified as an original Castiglioni and we take full responsibility.

-We also have two matching small table lamps in a separate listing.

Achille Castiglioni, born on February 16, 1918, in Milan, Italy, was the third son of sculptor Giannino Castiglioni and Livia Bolla. His brothers, Livio and Pier Giacomo, were both architects.

After studying classics at the Liceo classico Giuseppe Parini in Milan, he switched to studying arts at the Liceo artistico di Brera. Castiglioni enrolled in architecture at the Politecnico di Milano in 1937. During World War II, he served as an artillery officer, stationed first on the Greek front and later in Sicily. He returned to Milan before the Allied invasion of 1943 and graduated in March 1944.

Post-war, Castiglioni joined the architectural practice founded by his brothers and Luigi Caccia Dominioni in 1938, focusing on exhibition design and architecture, including the reconstruction of the Palazzo della Permanente (1952–53) after its destruction in 1943.

After Livio left the practice in 1952, Achille and Pier Giacomo collaborated until Pier Giacomo’s passing in 1968. Afterward, Achille worked alone. From 1969, Castiglioni taught design and architecture, first at the Politecnico di Torino and later at Politecnico di Milano, where he became a full professor in 1980.

Achille Castiglioni passed away on December 2, 2002, in Milan.

The Castiglioni brothers also designed the Lierna chair in 1960, a dining chair made of lacquered wood with a padded plywood seat, for Cassina.

In the 1997 MoMA exhibition Design!, curator Paola Antonelli described Castiglioni’s work: “Castiglioni loves paradoxes and the new perception and wisdom they can engender. One example is the Sella, a pivoting stool designed with Pier Giacomo in 1957, which was labeled ‘Dadaist’ for using an everyday object in an unexpected context.” See less