Elio Martinelli
Italian lighting designer
Elio Martinelli (Lucca, November 19, 1921–October 21, 2004) was a 20th century Italian lighting designer. His mid-century modern aesthetic celebrated streamlined form and elegant function and came to be a definitive design force of the era, a status reinforced by the fact that his creations have joined prestigious collections, including that of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Born in Lucca in the wake of World War I, Martinelli studied at the Institute of Fine Arts in Florence with aspirations to become a scenographer. Following his studies, however, Martinelli began assisting in his father’s (Plinio) lighting business, where he used his study of theatrical set designs and lighting to contribute lighting fixtures to a variety of interiors. His ongoing projects for spaces ranged from private homes to popular restaurants and encouraged him to establish a small studio in a basement located in Piazza Bernardini in Lucca, from which he soon experienced high demand for his lighting creations. This early success spurred him to officially establish his own company, Martinelli Luce, in the early 1950s. The company is now a world-renowned manufacturer of lighting systems. read more
Taking his design sensibilities from what he saw as the simplicity of nature while also playing with new materials and geometry, Martinelli captivated audiences with his combination of streamlined geometry and radiant elegance. This combination elevated Martinelli’s fixtures to the status of enticing art objects rather than merely a functional means of illuminating a space, resulting in a body of work that attracted clients around the globe.
In 1966, Italian architect Gio Ponti invited Elio Martinelli to showcase his lamps at the inaugural Eurodomus exhibition, where he would return for the editions in 1968, 1970, and 1972. These showcases brought Martinelli’s designs to an even larger audience and increased the demand for his work throughout Europe and the United States. It was also during this decade that Martinelli created two of his most iconic creations, the Serpente lamp (1965) and the Cobra lamp (1968), both of which call upon the sinuous swerve of a snake to become the basis of sleek yet seductive desk lamps.
Part of the ongoing success of Martinelli’s work was due to his commitment to collaboration. Over the second half of the 20th century, Martinelli invited a wide array of designers into his studio. This illustrious group of alumni included figures from Gae Aulenti, who teamed up with Martinelli in 1966 to create the Pipistrello table lamp, and Brian Sironi, who designed the Elica lamp, which garnered the Martinelli Luce company the Compasso d’Oro Award in 2011. Other famous Elio Martinelli lamps that resulted from his willingness to experiment are Foglia, Bolla, Flex, Nuvole vagabonde, and Biconica. Other particularly “fun” lamp creations are the Rondini, Cavallo Pazzo, and Geronimo lamps.
Today, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Museès des Art Decoratifs in Montreal, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, among other museums, hold several Martinelli Luce models, recognizing his valuable and brilliant contribution to lighting design.
Martinelli died in 2004, but Martinelli Luce continues to carry on its mission to create compelling, contemporary lighting. Testaments to this continued commitment is the Colibrì lamp, which was designed by Martinelli’s daughter, Emiliana, and achieved the iF Product Design Award in 2013.
Last updated: December 18, 2018
For additional information on Elio Martinelli, please visit:
“Elio Martinelli.” Martinelli Luce SPA.
“Martinelli Luce SPA.” Martinelli Luce SPA.
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products
Elio Martinelli's products
Elio Martinelli's products
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp model 226 /a
Achille Castiglioni
Noce - lamp
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Gatto table lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Table lamp Model 606
Gino Sarfatti and Vittoriano Viganò
Wall light, model 199
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 225
Achille Castiglioni
Snoopy - Lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Desk lamp, model 607
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Luminator floor lamp
Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Luminator copper floor lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Rare wall light, model 169/4
Gino Sarfatti
Single wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp model 197
Gino Sarfatti
Table lamp model 543
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 208
Gino Sarfatti
Yellow ceiling light model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Table light model 580/B
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamps model 249
Gino Sarfatti
Flush aluminum table lamp, model 566
Giacomo Benevelli
Arabesco - wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Adjustable wall light, model 181
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp model 1050/1
Gino Sarfatti
Chandelier model 2097
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Table or wall lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of grey ceiling lights model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Floor light model 1067
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp mod. 1033a
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light, model 3053
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 43
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 213
Gino Sarfatti
Wall sconce, model 169/2
Gianfranco Fini and Fabrizio Cocchia
Screen - wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or desk light, model 551/31B
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of wall/ceiling lights, mod. 3031
Gino Sarfatti
Red table lamp, model 566
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 211 - pair
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1030
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 3031
Gino Sarfatti
Desk lamp, model 606
Gino Sarfatti
Adjustable floor lamp mod. 1030
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 586/s
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light model 3030
Gino Sarfatti
Drawing of the ceiling light, model 2003
Elio Monesi
Sconce, model 12880
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light, model 3001/50
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp, model 218
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light - model 34
Gino Sarfatti
Drawing of the wall light, model 191
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light model 3001/30
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 3001/14
Gino Sarfatti and Vittoriano Viganò
Wall light, model 199
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling lamp model 2049
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of wall lights
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light model 179
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp model 226 /a
Achille Castiglioni
Noce - lamp
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Gatto table lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Table lamp Model 606
Gino Sarfatti and Vittoriano Viganò
Wall light, model 199
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 225
Achille Castiglioni
Snoopy - Lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Desk lamp, model 607
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Luminator floor lamp
Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Luminator copper floor lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Rare wall light, model 169/4
Gino Sarfatti
Single wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp model 197
Gino Sarfatti
Table lamp model 543
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 208
Gino Sarfatti
Yellow ceiling light model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Table light model 580/B
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamps model 249
Gino Sarfatti
Flush aluminum table lamp, model 566
Giacomo Benevelli
Arabesco - wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Adjustable wall light, model 181
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp model 1050/1
Gino Sarfatti
Chandelier model 2097
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1056
Gino Sarfatti
Table or wall lamp
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of grey ceiling lights model 3010
Gino Sarfatti
Floor light model 1067
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp mod. 1033a
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light, model 3053
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 43
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 213
Gino Sarfatti
Wall sconce, model 169/2
Gianfranco Fini and Fabrizio Cocchia
Screen - wall light
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or desk light, model 551/31B
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of wall/ceiling lights, mod. 3031
Gino Sarfatti
Red table lamp, model 566
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light, model 211 - pair
Gino Sarfatti
Floor lamp, model 1030
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 3031
Gino Sarfatti
Desk lamp, model 606
Gino Sarfatti
Adjustable floor lamp mod. 1030
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 586/s
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light model 3030
Gino Sarfatti
Drawing of the ceiling light, model 2003
Elio Monesi
Sconce, model 12880
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light, model 3001/50
Gino Sarfatti
Wall lamp, model 218
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light - model 34
Gino Sarfatti
Drawing of the wall light, model 191
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling light model 3001/30
Gino Sarfatti
Wall or ceiling light, model 3001/14
Gino Sarfatti and Vittoriano Viganò
Wall light, model 199
Gino Sarfatti
Ceiling lamp model 2049
Gino Sarfatti
Pair of wall lights
Gino Sarfatti
Wall light model 179