Overview
An elegant and highly distinctive Model 2850 table lamp, designed by Daniela Puppa for Fontana Arte in 1991. Characterized by an unusual combination of softly curved geometric volumes and contrasting pastel tones, the lamp reflects the sophisticated experimentation with glass, light and color that marked Italian design at the beginning of the 1990s.
The composition combines a luminous pale yellow body with a large curved turquoise glass diffuser, supported by a sculptural grey textured base.
Description
Designed by Daniela Puppa for Fontana Arte in 1991, the Model 2850 table lamp is conceived as a striking composition of overlapping volumes, colors and illuminated surfaces.
The structure develops vertically from an elongated, asymmetrical grey base with a subtly textured surface. Rising from the base is a tall, tapered pale yellow diffuser, which forms the central body of the lamp and becomes luminous when switched on.
Above it, a generously proportioned turquoise glass shade creates the most recognizable element of the design. Its broad, gently curved profile envelops the upper lighting structure while remaining visually light and almost floating above the central body.
The lamp is particularly interesting when illuminated: rather than relying on a single visible light source, the design transforms its translucent and frosted surfaces into luminous planes. Light diffuses through the central yellow element and the turquoise upper shade, producing a layered atmospheric effect and emphasizing the contrast between the two colors.
With its unusual proportions and sophisticated use of colored glass, Model 2850 is both a functional lighting object and a strong decorative presence, characteristic of the transition from late 1980s experimentation into early 1990s Italian design.
Design & Function
The design is built around the interaction between light, color and overlapping geometric forms.
The large upper shade is held by a discreet internal structure, allowing the turquoise surface to dominate the composition without visually heavy supports. When the shade is removed, the internal lighting system becomes visible, revealing multiple light sources arranged around the central structure.
The central body itself also functions as a diffuser, creating a second illuminated volume beneath the upper shade. This dual relationship between the lower luminous body and the broad upper diffuser gives the lamp a particularly sculptural appearance when switched on.
Its substantial scale and strong visual identity make it suitable as a statement table lamp for a console, sideboard, desk or large occasional table.
Materials & Aesthetic
The aesthetic of Model 2850 is defined by the juxtaposition of turquoise and pale yellow translucent surfaces with a textured grey base.
The upper diffuser has a soft turquoise tone and a satin appearance that changes considerably according to the surrounding light. When switched off, its color appears more saturated; when illuminated, the surface becomes lighter and more ethereal as the internal light creates subtle variations across the curved plane.
The warm pale yellow central body provides a deliberate chromatic counterpoint, while the grey sculptural base visually anchors the composition.
The result is distinctly architectural yet playful: a carefully balanced composition in which color is not simply decorative, but becomes an integral part of the way the lamp shapes and diffuses light.
Technical Details
Product:Daniela Puppa 1991 Italian Model 2850 Colored Glass Table Lamp for Fontana Arte
Designer: Daniela Puppa
Manufacturer: Fontana Arte
Period: 1991
Materials: Colored glass, metal
Dimensions: Lenght: 50cm | Depth of the base: 14,5cm | Depth of the lampshade: 18,5cm | Height: 84cm
Condition: Please note that this item is in good vintage condition. Minor signs of age may be present, which do not affect its functionality. We kindly invite you to take these characteristics into consideration before purchasing.
Collectibility
Model 2850 is a particularly distinctive example of early 1990s Italian lighting design, combining Fontana Arte's long-established exploration of glass and illumination with Daniela Puppa's sophisticated approach to color and form.
Its unconventional silhouette, substantial dimensions and striking turquoise-and-yellow palette give the lamp an immediately recognizable identity. The complex relationship between the individual components becomes particularly evident when illuminated, when the object shifts from a composition of colored volumes into a layered luminous sculpture.
As an original 1991 design by Daniela Puppa for Fontana Arte, the lamp represents an interesting collectible piece for interiors and collections focused on postmodern and late 20th-century Italian design.
Designer & Manufacturer
Daniela Puppa is an Italian architect and designer whose work spans product design, interiors, fashion and creative direction. Her design language frequently explores the relationship between material, color and form, moving between functional objects and more expressive, decorative interpretations of contemporary design.
Her collaboration with Fontana Arte places Model 2850 within the company's broader tradition of experimenting with glass as both a structural and luminous material.
Founded in Milan in 1932, Fontana Arte occupies a central position in the history of Italian lighting and glass design. Throughout the 20th century, the company developed a distinctive identity based on the interaction between architecture, industrial design, glass and light, collaborating with numerous important figures of Italian and international design.
The Model 2850 demonstrates how this experimental tradition continued into the 1990s: glass is not treated merely as a shade surrounding a light source, but as an active element through which color, reflection and illumination define the entire object.
