The collection
Lamp made with three vertical wooden sticks surrounded by a cylindrical lamp shade.
1945

Table Lamp

Designed by
Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988)
Material
Cherrywood, fiberglass-reinforced polyvinyl
Produced by
Knoll Associates, New York, New York
Dimensions
40.4 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, D86.135.1

In place of the traditional base, shaft, and shade of a western lamp, Noguchi’s design is inspired by the Japanese tradition of paper lanterns. Noguchi’s lamps, which a decade later led to his Akari series, were all related to his sculpture. This simple, functional design, composed of a translucent plastic strip wrapped around three delicate tapering wooden legs, unites base and shade in a glowing cylindrical sculpture.

Hans Knoll, who was always looking for innovative new designs, put it into production because it was a perfect addition to the austere Knoll interiors of the period.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, photo: Giles Rivest. © 2019 The Isamu Noguchi Foundation & Garden Museum / SOCAN.