Milanese designer and architect Achille Castiglioni sought to inject personality into all of his work, and found deep inspiration in everyday objects. A legend of Italian mid-century modernism, he created iconic, universally loved table lamps, chairs and other lighting and furniture with his likeminded brothers during the postwar years.
There was the Snoopy lamp, which brings to mind the unmistakable Peanuts character, while the shape of a common street lamp inspired the design behind the Arco floor lamp. Elsewhere, the Toio floor lamp — a provocative fixture in any living room — was made with automotive parts as well as run-of-the-mill recreational gear.
Castiglioni studied the classics at Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and finally architecture and design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. After graduating in 1944, Castiglioni began working with his brothers Pier Giacomo and Livio at the studio they cofounded with classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni.
Livio left to pursue lighting design and sound technology, leaving Achille and Pier Giacomo to continue to collaborate on various projects. One such design was the iconic Taraxacum hanging lamp for FLOS which featured a resin “cocoon” created with sprayed plastic polymers that protects its steel core and allows for the diffusion of light.
Castiglioni won Italy’s highest award for industrial design — the Compasso d’Oro — seven times, and the Museum of Modern Art was home to his first individual retrospective in the United States. Castiglioni later taught at the Polytechnic University of Turin and at Polytechnic in Milan.
Castiglioni’s designs remain timeless. Some of them can be found in Tokyo’s Living Design Center Ozone, the Triennale di Milano and the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center.
Find vintage Achille Castiglioni lighting, seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Achille Castiglioni Large Mid-Century Beige Flower "Cocoon" Pendant, Italy 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous and unique large Mid-Century bell-flower shaped cocoon pendant in resin and brass. This gorgeous ceiling lamp was designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced in Italy duri...
Metal, Steel, Brass
Italian Frisbi 850 Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hagenbach, DE
The Frisbi 850 pendant lamp, designed by the renowned Italian designer Achille Castiglioni for Flos in the 1970s, is a striking example of minimalist elegance and innovative lighting...
Metal
Vintage Italian Brera Hanging Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hamburg, DE
Flos Brera S Pendant, the pendant light version of the Flos Brera series by Castiglioni. A very simple and elegant pendant in white and gray. The egg-shaped opal glass lamp body han...
Glass, Plastic
Mid-century cocoon pendant lamp, Achille Castiglioni, Italy 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Rare Cocoon pendant lamp with Teak made in Italy in the 1960s. The key feature of this iconic hanging lamp by architect Achille Castiglioni is the new material used to make it. The f...
Plastic
Mid-century cocoon pendant lamp, Achille Castiglioni, Italy 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Rare Cocoon pendant lamp with Teak made in Italy in the 1960s. The key feature of this iconic hanging lamp by architect Achille Castiglioni is the new material used to make it. The f...
Plastic
FLOS Frisbi Pendant Light in Nickel by Achille Castiglioni
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its name invokes the iconic toy best played in a park, but this light is seriously smart. Offering three types of illumination—diffused, direct, and reflected—the FRISBI doubles down designed Achille Castiglioni’s ability to play with the power of illusion. Three barely-there, fine steel cables suspend the opal acrylic diffuser, making it appear as it if it is floating. A black metal stem and wire mesh basket...
Steel
Pendant lamp mod. Teli 374 by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Italy, 1970-80
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Ceiling lamp model "Teli 374" designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos between the 1970s and 1980s. La struttura è composta da metal and sheets of "Raflon" material, which are atta...
Metal
Castiglioni Large Mid-Century Beige Ribbed "Cocoon" Flower Pendant, Italy, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous and unique large Mid-Century flower-shaped cocoon pendant in resin with elegant scalloped edges. This incredibly stylish organic ceiling light was designed by Achille Casti...
Metal, Steel
Large Mid-Century Cocoon Pendant Lamp by Castiglioni for Hille, Italy, 60s
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Lucija, SI
Stunning Large Mid Century round Cocoon Pendant Lamp Designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Hille in Italy in the 60s
Metal
'Viscontea' Pendant by Achille & Pier Castiglionni
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Cocoon pendant called 'Viscontea' by Achille and Pier Castiglionni for Flos 1960's first edition. Very warm light diffuser. Nice sculptural shape
Resin
Achille Castiglioni Cocoon Suspension Light by Flos, Italy 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Achille Castiglioni cocoon suspension light by Flos Designed and manufactured in Italy in 1960s. Resin and enameled steel frame. Resin was a...
Steel
New old stock "Black and White" Pendant Lamp by Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Berlin, DE
New old stock Flos Pendant lamp with opal glass bowl for diffused light. For concentrated light a polished aluminium reflector is fitted to the base ...
Aluminum
Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni – Model 4017 Green Acrylic Pendant Lamp
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Dronten, NL
A striking and highly collectible Model 4017 pendant lamp designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, executed in vivid green acrylic. This sculptural pendant exem...
Nickel
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Italy, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Italy, 1960s.
Resin
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni , Italy, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni , Italy, 1960s
Resin
FLOS Frisbi Pendant Light in Black by Achille Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its name invokes the iconic toy best played in a park, but this light is seriously smart. Offering three types of illumination—diffused, direct, and reflected—the FRISBI doubles down designed Achille Castiglioni’s ability to play with the power of illusion. Three barely-there, fine steel cables suspend the opal acrylic diffuser, making it appear as it if it is floating. A black metal stem and wire mesh basket...
Steel
Moni 1 pendant lamp by A. Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Lugo, IT
Moni 1 pendant lamp by A. Castiglioni for Flos. Good condition. Thank you.
Metal
Achille Castiglioni Teli Kd51/R light Flos - Italy 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in London, GB
Light is tempered and diffused by these rare pendants, an elegant contrast of primary modernist shapes and textured fabric. Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002) and his brother Pier Giaco...
Steel
$600Sale Price|20% Off
FLOS Frisbi Pendant Light by Achille Castiglioni
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Achille Castiglioni Born in Milan in 1918, Achille he pursued a degree in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano University .He used fundamental principles to make his works, ...
Metal
"Relemme" Hanging Lamps by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s, set of 2
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in bruxelles, BE
A pair of metal pendant lamps designed in the 1970s by Achille Castiglioni. Model: Relemme. Maximum height with cable: 100 cm. Stamped Flos. Wear due to time and age FOR SHIPPING, RE...
Metal
Taraxacum S1 Pendant Light by Achille Castiglioni for Flos
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Renens, CH
Taraxacum S1 hanging light designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1988. Taraxacum S1 is known as a variation of the famous Taraxacum 1 which Castiglioni designed for Flos alre...
Aluminum, Chrome
Pair of Frisbi 850 pendant lights by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Lyon, FR
Pair of Frisbi 850 pendant lights, designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, dating from 1978. Very beautiful floating effect thanks to a diffuser suspended from the body of the fixt...
Metal
Viscontea pendant lamp by Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni, Flos 1960
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Renens, CH
The Viscontea is the result of Castiglioni's experiments with cocoon resin in the sixties which led also to the creation of the famous Gatto and Taraxacum lamps who like the Visconte...
Resin
Italian modern chandelier Frisbi by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern chandelier Frisbi by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s Chandelier or ceiling lamp model Frisbi with a chrome-plated metal dome diffuser with a white interior. Beneat...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Cocoon Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Italy , 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Cocoon Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni,Italy, 1960s
Resin
Achille Castiglioni, Riplissé, a Wall Light or Ceiling Light, Flos, 1980s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Paris, FR
Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002) Riplissé A ceiling light or wall light, the circular ondulated white lacquered metal shade centered with an opalescent white light. Label of th...
Metal
Mid-Century Model KD7 Ceiling Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Kartell, 1950s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hamburg, DE
Rare pendant lamp by Kartell designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1959. The lamp consists of two parts, the frame part of metal and the shade part of plastic. What is...
Metal
Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Viscontea, Pendant Light, Flos
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Paris, FR
Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002) & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913-1968) Viscontea A resin and metal pendant light, the internal metal frame covered with a sprayed resin coated ...
Metal
Mid-Century Model KD7 Ceiling Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Kartell
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hamburg, DE
Rare pendant lamp by Kartell designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1959. The lamp consists of two parts, the frame part of metal and the shade part of plastic. What is...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni , Italy, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni , Italy, 1960s
Paper