Skip to main content

Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Chilean, 1911-2002

“The function of art,” the Surrealist Roberto Matta once stated, “is to unveil the enormous economic, cultural and emotional forces that materially interact in our lives and that constitute the real space in which we live.” In his paintings, Matta sought to expose those forces through the Surrealist practice of automatism, creating work in a free-associative state intended to conjure the unconscious.

After studying architecture in his native Chile, Matta, then 22, chose to pursue the field in Paris, where he mingled with stars of the avant-garde like Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dalí and Walter Gropius. In the late 1930s, he abandoned Paris, together with his job at Le Corbusier’s studio and (for a time) his career, for modern art’s new epicenter, New York City. There, he became a colleague of art legends like Marcel Duchamp and Arshile Gorky.

Although celebrated primarily for his work as a painter, Matta was an equally talented furniture designer. His furniture pieces, like his artworks, are the stuff of dreams. The back of his totem chair, for example, is composed of smiling, cartoonish creatures stacked on top of each other. In his MAgriTTA armchair, the top half of a plush green apple sticks out of large black bowler in homage to its namesake, the Belgian Surrealist René Magritte.

But perhaps the piece that most truly embodies his artistic philosophy is his 1966 Mallite modular system: a collection of spongy, undulating sofas and lounges that can be fitted together to form a puzzle-like room divider. The work, an original edition of which is in MoMA’s permanent collection, has in recent decades been a hard-to-find collectors’ item — until 2019, when Italian design brand Paradisoterrestre issued a reedition, available through Duplex.

Browse Roberto Matta's paintings and furniture designs on 1stDibs.

to
2
2
Height
to
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
132
180
170
140
132
Creator: Roberto Matta
Roberto Matta Mezzanotte floor lamp, aluminium Paradisoterrestre limited edition
Roberto Matta Mezzanotte floor lamp, aluminium Paradisoterrestre limited edition

Roberto Matta Mezzanotte floor lamp, aluminium Paradisoterrestre limited edition

By Paradisoterrestre, Roberto Matta

Located in Ozzano Dell'emilia, IT

Designed in the early 1970s - Paradisoterrestre Edition 2026 Materials: aluminium, PVC shade, plexiglass base Born in the early 1970s from the multifaceted imagination of surrealis...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum

Roberto Matta Rombo floor lamp, Paradisoterrestre limited Edition
Roberto Matta Rombo floor lamp, Paradisoterrestre limited Edition

Roberto Matta Rombo floor lamp, Paradisoterrestre limited Edition

By Paradisoterrestre, Roberto Matta

Located in Ozzano Dell'emilia, IT

Designed in the early 1970s - Paradisoterrestre Edition 2026 Materials: gold-lacquered metal, fabric lampshade Born in the early 1970s from the multifaceted imagination of surreali...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal

Related Items
Helix Floor Lamp, Black Copper by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition
Helix Floor Lamp, Black Copper by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition

Helix Floor Lamp, Black Copper by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition

By Robert Kuo

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Helix floor lamp Black copper Hand repoussé Linen shade Limited edition Repousse´ is the traditional art of hand-hammering decorative relief on...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Copper

Bronze Floor Lamp 'Matta'  by french designer Alexandre Logé
Bronze Floor Lamp 'Matta'  by french designer Alexandre Logé

Bronze Floor Lamp 'Matta' by french designer Alexandre Logé

By Alexandre Logé

Located in Paris, FR

"Matta" is a Designed large floor lamp in solid bronze, signed with the french artist’s mark of Alexandre logé Limited edition x 25. Numbered 2 / 25. Single LED bulb inside opening a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #1 Zen Washi
Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #1 Zen Washi

Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #1 Zen Washi

By Ryosuke Harashima

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Name: OBAKE A Contemporary style Japanese Washi Japanese traditional paper shade floor lamp. Washi shade is famous as Isamu Noguchi Akari lightings. Base is made of brass. Limited pattern painted model. Edition of 3+1AP E26,27 light bulb. Available to work with 100-250V. Artist statement In Japan, there is an animist belief that the soul dwells in old tools that have passed a long time and turns into spirits such as "Youkai" or "OBAKE." Its existence lurks in the darkness of everyday life, sometimes causing fear and sometimes entertaining. This lantern is not an old tool, but it is made by the historic "Kojima Shoten", where the 10th generation are craftsmen in Kyoto. It's rare nowadays, and it's a style in which lanterns are made from bamboo bones to assembling papers and painting in one workshop and go. So, I decided to transform the polite crafted Japanese lanterns, which have been run through a traditional history, into a modern and pop style. It's not just OBAKE lurking in the darkness, but an existence who snuggles up to us as a more sophisticated being. These one-eyed OBAKE have a meaningful look that originated in ancient Sanskrit culture. The red-eye "A [a]" is the facial expression that is the first pronunciation to make a sound in Sanskrit, which means "truth" and "spirit of inquiry" at the same time. The blue-eyed "UN [hu?]" expresses the pronunciation to close the sound, and at the same time means "wisdom" and "nirvana." There is also the idea that describing the beginning and end of the universe is represented by considering the "A" and "UN" as a pair. In Asia, it is a common sight to see a pair of guardian statues...

Category

2010s Japanese Edo Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

GIRAFFE Limited Edition Floor Lamp in Natural Mahogany by Rispal
GIRAFFE Limited Edition Floor Lamp in Natural Mahogany by Rispal

GIRAFFE Limited Edition Floor Lamp in Natural Mahogany by Rispal

$4,164 / item

H 66.15 in W 18.12 in D 15.75 in

GIRAFFE Limited Edition Floor Lamp in Natural Mahogany by Rispal

By Rispal

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Designed in 1952, with its slender silhouette, both elegant and avant-garde, the Giraffe Tablet floor lamp perfectly embodies the spirit of innovation of the Rispal house. Finish: N...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Mahogany

Anatomy Design 'Steel Lab Light Floor' Steel and Aluminium Floor Lamp
Anatomy Design 'Steel Lab Light Floor' Steel and Aluminium Floor Lamp

Anatomy Design 'Steel Lab Light Floor' Steel and Aluminium Floor Lamp

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Floor lamp designed by Anatomy Design in 2010. Inspired by her parents’ pharmaceutical work and their old lab equipment, Andrea Kleinloog from Anatomy Design designed the Lab Light...

Category

2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #2 Zen Washi
Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #2 Zen Washi

Contemporary Japanese Chochin Floor Lamp Limited Edition #2 Zen Washi

By Ryosuke Harashima

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Name: OBAKE UN Contemporary style Japanese Washi Japanese traditional paper shade floor lamp. Washi shade is famous as Isamu Noguchi Akari lightings. Base is made of brass. Limited pattern painted model. Edition of 3+1AP E26,27 light bulb. Available to work with 100-250V. Artist statement In Japan, there is an animist belief that the soul dwells in old tools that have passed a long time and turns into spirits such as "Youkai" or "OBAKE." Its existence lurks in the darkness of everyday life, sometimes causing fear and sometimes entertaining. This lantern is not an old tool, but it is made by the historic "Kojima Shoten", where the 10th generation are craftsmen in Kyoto. It's rare nowadays, and it's a style in which lanterns are made from bamboo bones to assembling papers and painting in one workshop and go. So, I decided to transform the polite crafted Japanese lanterns, which have been run through a traditional history, into a modern and pop style. It's not just OBAKE lurking in the darkness, but an existence who snuggles up to us as a more sophisticated being. These one-eyed OBAKE have a meaningful look that originated in ancient Sanskrit culture. The red-eye "A [a]" is the facial expression that is the first pronunciation to make a sound in Sanskrit, which means "truth" and "spirit of inquiry" at the same time. The blue-eyed "UN [hu?]" expresses the pronunciation to close the sound, and at the same time means "wisdom" and "nirvana." There is also the idea that describing the beginning and end of the universe is represented by considering the "A" and "UN" as a pair. In Asia, it is a common sight to see a pair of guardian statues...

Category

2010s Japanese Edo Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Machine Age Aluminium Floor Lamp, 1930s, USA
Machine Age Aluminium Floor Lamp, 1930s, USA

Machine Age Aluminium Floor Lamp, 1930s, USA

$1,500Sale Price|50% Off

H 66 in Dm 14 in

Machine Age Aluminium Floor Lamp, 1930s, USA

By Russel Wright, Gilbert Rohde

Located in St- Leonard, Quebec

Well made Machine Age floor lamp fabricated out of milled aluminium. Solid, sturdy construction. Chocolate brown wrinkle finish. Marble effect glass shade in a warm beige tone with b...

Category

1930s American Machine Age Vintage Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum

Pillow Floor Lamp, Black Lacquer by Robert Kuo, Handmade, Limited Edition
Pillow Floor Lamp, Black Lacquer by Robert Kuo, Handmade, Limited Edition

Pillow Floor Lamp, Black Lacquer by Robert Kuo, Handmade, Limited Edition

By Robert Kuo

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Pillow floor lamp Black lacquer Hand repousse Silk shade (26" diameter) Limited edition Each piece is individually crafted and is unique. Lacquer is a technique that dates ba...

Category

2010s Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Lacquer

Unique Floor Lamp by Roberto Giulio Rida '1943-'
Unique Floor Lamp by Roberto Giulio Rida '1943-'

Unique Floor Lamp by Roberto Giulio Rida '1943-'

$13,021Sale Price|40% Off

H 78.75 in W 16.15 in D 14.57 in

Unique Floor Lamp by Roberto Giulio Rida '1943-'

By Roberto Giulio Rida

Located in London, GB

Late 20th century standard lamp by the Italian glass artist Roberto Giulio Rida. This unique sculptural piece has a base formed from a large piece of vintage Segusso glass whilst...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Glass

Expressive RAAK D-3202 Aluminium and Chrome Floor Lamp
Expressive RAAK D-3202 Aluminium and Chrome Floor Lamp

Expressive RAAK D-3202 Aluminium and Chrome Floor Lamp

By RAAK

Located in Voorburg, NL

Expressive floor lamp manufactured by RAAK Amsterdam in the 1960s. Very nice chrome and aluminum accents. Original version with original label and numbered RAAK D...

Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Ph Floor Lamp Model Ph3½-2½, Limited Edition By Poul Henningsen From 2016
Ph Floor Lamp Model Ph3½-2½, Limited Edition By Poul Henningsen From 2016

Ph Floor Lamp Model Ph3½-2½, Limited Edition By Poul Henningsen From 2016

By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen

Located in Lejre, DK

The PH floor lamp, model PH3½-2½, is a limited edition designed by Poul Henningsen and produced by Louis Poulsen. This exclusive lamp features an upper s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Roberto Matta Floor Lamps

Materials

Copper

Roberto Matta floor lamps for sale on 1stDibs.

Roberto Matta floor lamps are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Roberto Matta floor lamps, although white editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original floor lamps by Roberto Matta were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider floor lamps by Angelo Lelii, Venini, and Seguso Vetri d'Arte. Prices for Roberto Matta floor lamps can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $7,829 and can go as high as $18,596, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $13,212.