Partially painted metal, plastic, wood and glass
Italy, circa 1971
Gaetano Pesce (b.1939)
Manufactured by Bracciodiferro (1971)
Bears plaque: “Moloch” / Ridisegno di Gaetano Pesce / Produzione Bracciodiferro / Primo Centaio / Esemplare N.000-B
Oversized interpretation of a classic Luxo lamp
Prototype B
Accompanied by documentation given to the consignor by Aldo Cichero
Literature: “Bracciodiferro: Gaetano Pesce-Alessandro Mendini, 1971-1975”, Silvana Editoriale, Milan, 2013 (illustrated in color, pp. 31-2).
Height: 104" (extended)
Very good condition

This monumental floor lamp is a re-visitation of the archetypal desk lamp. Gaetano Pesce conceived the idea of theMoloch lamp as a statement about the growing importance of design. Designed to be useful for large spaces, "Moloch"was inspired by theL1 lamp (1937) that was made for Luxo by Jac Jacobsen (1901-1996), with its dimensions multiplied by four. Conceived in the early 1970s, the first prototypes can be traced back to between 1971 and 1972. Comprised of metal, plastic, wood and glass, this Prototype B has a black painted metal shade.

The design company Bracciodiferro was created by Gaetano Pesce and Alessandro Mendini in 1971, within the context of the Cassina Research and Development Centre with the contribution of Aldo Cichero, a nautical engineer with experience on materials. The theme was to create design objects which challenged the conventional business methods of series production and aimed at art galleries and collectors. The ideas generated are distinguished by an ironic and subversive vocation, causing one to reflect on society. The Moloch lamp opened the series of Bracciodiferro products and has risen to iconic status in the design world.

Acquired by the current owner directly from Aldo Cichero, owner of Bracciodiferro. The original prototype was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1972 especially for the exhibition, “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape”, in the section dedication to objects with “social and cultural implications”. Moloch is included in the book,Bracciodiferro: Gaetano Pesce-Alessandro Mendini, 1971-1975, Silvana Editoriale, Milan, 2013 (illustrated in color, pp. 31-2).

The lamp bears plaque: “Moloch” / Ridisegno di Gaetano Pesce / Produzione Bracciodiferro / Primo Centaio / Esemplare N.000-B. It is in very good condition with minimal marks on the handle and measures an extended height of 104“.

Gaetano Pesce (b.1939)

Gaetano Pesce was born in La Spezia, Italy in 1939. Studying architecture, Pesce attended Ca’ Foscari University of Venice between 1958 through 1963. Known as an experimental artist, using materials such as resin, plastics and foam, he was noted to convey feelings of shock, optimism and originality through his designs. Pesce is most famously known for his projects in architecture, but he has also worked in interior design, graphics and film. The inclusion of his Moloch lamp in the ground-breaking 1972 MoMA exhibition, “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape“ catapulted Pesce to fame and he has remained in the forefront of the design world ever since. His prominent projects in architecture include the Hubin Apartment in Paris (1986), the Organic Building in Osaka (1990) and the Gallery Mourmans in Knokke-le Zoute, Belgium (1994). In 1993, Pesce was awarded the Chrysler Design Award and, in 1996, with a Career Retrospective at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Being shown world wide, Pesce’s work can be found at MoMA and the MET in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Vitra Museum in Germany and the Pompidou Center and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.