As one of the founding fathers of modern Italian design, prolific architect and industrial designer Ludovico Magistretti (known by his nickname Vico) was guided by his philosophy, “There is no excuse for bad design.” His architectural projects are widely revered, and an ingenious meld of form and function can be found in his stylish and deceptively simple table lamps, sofas, armchairs and other mid-century furnishings.
Born in Milan, Magistretti followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather (both architects) to study architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. At the outbreak of World War II, he fled to Switzerland, and it was there he met his role model and mentor, renowned humanist architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers. Magistretti was inspired by Rogers’s vision to revive postwar Italy, and they collaborated on several reconstruction projects. Among Magistretti’s first architectural designs is a “poetic” round church, which he created for the QT8, an experimental Milanese neighborhood.
When Magistretti returned to Milan in 1945, he worked at his father’s architectural firm. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that he expanded his talents into design while working with furniture artisans.
In the 1960s, Magistretti began his 30-year working relationship with famed entrepreneur Cesare Cassina of the Cassina furniture manufacturing company. In their design approach, the two men shared a vision of the relationship between modernity and tradition and enjoyed a close bond (Magistretti designed Cassina’s luxurious villa in 1965). However, their friendship was not without contention.
Legend has it that upon seeing the prototype for Magistretti’s Maralunga sofa, Cassina hated it so much that he punched it, breaking the back of the sofa, which crumpled into itself.
“Right, great, it looks perfect to me like that,” an unfazed Magistretti allegedly responded, and the Maralunga’s slumped, adjustable-height backrest was born. Incidentally, the Maralunga sofa won Italy’s Compasso d’Oro award as did his Eclisse lamp for Artemide and his Atollo lamp for Oluce.
Magistretti died in 2006, but his designs live on in galleries, museums and private residences and offices around the world.
Find a range of vintage Vico Magistretti furniture and lighting on 1stDibs.
$549Sale Price|19% Off
Vintage 1970s floor lamp mod. Dim 333 design Vico Magistretti for Oluce
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Floor lamp with dimmer, direct and indirect light, white steel base, chrome-plated stem, reflector, adjustable and height-adjustable, made of white aluminum. Model "DIM 333...
Metal
Vico Magistretti for Artemide Chimera Floor Lamp, Italy, 1970s
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Naples, IT
Designer floor lamp from the 1970s, created by Vico Magistretti for Artemide. The "Chimera" model is made of methacrylate and white lacquered metal . An iconic piece that can add st...
Metal
Floor lamp mod. Clitumno, Vico Magistretti for Artemide
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
This extraordinary piece of lighting captures the essence of Italian design, combining elegant forms and high-quality materials. The Clitumno lamp is distinguished by its refined and...
Steel
Vico Magistretti #Floor Lamp Brass Glass, 1960, Italy
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Milano, IT
Floor Lamp Vico Magistretti.
Brass
$1,570 / item
Vico Magistretti 'Claritas' Floor Lamp for Nemo
By Nemo Lighting 1, Vico Magistretti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vico Magistretti 'Claritas' floor lamp for Nemo. 'Claritas' is the first lamp designed by Vico Magistretti and produced with Mario Tedeschi in 1946. Cl...
Aluminum, Steel
$3,900 / item
Pascal Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pascal floor lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce. Originally designed in Italy, 1983. Oluce's newest offering of this model comes ...
Bronze
Vico Magistretti Snow Floor Lamp for Oluce, Italy 1973
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Vico Magistretti Minimalistic Floor Lamp for Oluce, Model: Snow, Italy 1973
Marble, Metal
Mid-Century Snow Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Hamburg, DE
This is a very rare floor lamp from the italian manufacturer oluce after a design by vico magistretti from the early 70s. A striking feature of this lamp is the coloring with the str...
Marble, Metal
Vico Magistretti, Chimera Floor Lamp for Artemide, Italy, 1960s (Old Edition)
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Argelato, BO
Iconic and unusual lamp designed by the great Italian architect and designer Vico Magistretti. This is one of the first versions, coming from an important hotel in Romagna (Italy) ...
Metal
Vico Magistretti Lyndon Floor Lamp, glass and chrome-plated metal, Italy, 1977
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Palermo, IT
The famous "Lyndon" floor lamp, designed by Italian design master Vico Magistretti in 1977 and produced by the historic company Oluce. This iconic lamp stands out for its elegant chr...
Metal, Chrome
Snow Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, O-Luce
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Snow 301/C floor lamp designed by Vico Magistretti and manufactured by O-luce in 1973. This floor lamp is part of the Snow series, consisting of a pendant, table lamp and this floor...
Marble, Metal
Chimera Floor Lamp By Vico Magistretti, Italy, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Charmes, FR
Very good condition for this 1st edition with neon of the iconic Chimera floor lamp designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide and produced in Italy in the 1960s. Metal base with obvi...
Plexiglass
Italian Chimera Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Artemide First Edition, 1969
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Introducing the super rare and highly collectible "Chimera" Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Artemide First Edition, 1969. This iconic lamp is a masterpiece of Italian design and a...
Plexiglass
"Clitunno" floor lamp by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1960s.
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Milano, IT
"Clitunno" floor lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide in the 1960s. The fixture is made of anodized aluminum, while the diffuser is made of white glass and provides soft, ...
Aluminum
Oluce Lyndon 351 Outdoor Floor Lamp design Vico Magistretti - Black - 220–240V
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Varedo, MB
The Lyndon 351 outdoor floor lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, is a contemporary re-edition of the iconic 1977 Lyndon project, developed for outdoor environments in floor...
Metal
Vico Magistretti, Monumental Floor Lamp, Metal, Methacrylate, Italy, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, O-Luce
Located in High Point, NC
A monumental black-lacquered metal and methacrylate floor lamp or outdoor light designed by Vico Magistretti and produced by O-Luce, Italy, 197...
Metal
Vico Magistretti Outdoor Lamp 'Lyndon 350 M' by Oluce
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Outdoor lamp 'Lyndon 350 M' designed by Vico Magistretti in 1977. Outside floor lamp. Zinc-plated black lacquered metal structure, globes in transparent polycarbonate. Manufactured b...
Metal
"Snow" Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Milan, IT
"Snow" floor lamp by VIco Magistretti for Oluce. "The synthesis of elegance and simplicity, this family of lamps emitting direct and diffused light is composed of a methacrylate cone...
Carrara Marble
Rare Floor Lamp Snow by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, Italy, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, O-Luce
Located in München, BY
Exceptional Mid-Century Modern floor lamp Snow. Designed by the Italian designer Vico Magistretti, 1973 for O-Luce, Italy. This elegant and extremely rare floor lamp is executed in ...
Marble, Steel
333 Dim Floor Lamp in Chrome Plated & White Metal by Magistretti for Oluce, 1975
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This halogen 333 "DIM" floor lamp was dasigned by Vico Magistretti in the 1975 for Oluce. The chrome plated stem hold an adjustable reflector: this body light can be moved long its t...
Metal, Chrome, Sheet Metal
Clitunno floor lamp by Vico Magistretti, for Artemide, 1964
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Vigevano, PV
Clitunno floor lamp by Vico Magistretti, for Artemide, 1964 beautiful floor lamp icon of Italian design. first edition
Aluminum
"Clitunno" Floor Lmap by Vico Magistretti for Artemide
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Milan, IT
"Clitunno" floor lamp by Vico Magistretti for Artemide. Nickel plated brass frame and two opaline glass shades.
Nickel
Snow Magistretti Oluce Italian Design 1970s Marble Perspex
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Brescia, IT
"Snow" Vico Magistretti, by Oluce 1970s Table lamp Marble base, white perspex.
Marble
Oluce Lyndon 351 Outdoor Floor Lamp design Vico Magistretti - Ivory - 220–240V
By Vico Magistretti, Oluce
Located in Varedo, MB
The Lyndon 351 outdoor floor lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, is a contemporary re-edition of the iconic 1977 Lyndon project, developed for outdoor environments in floor...
Metal
"Idomeneo" Floor Lamp by Vico Magistreti for OLuce, Italy, 1980s
By Oluce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Milan, IT
"Idomeneo" Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for OLuce. "Idomeneo is a floor lamp specifically conceived as a reading lamp and consists of a glossy black anodised aluminium stem support...
Metal
Floor Lamp Model "Lyndon" by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Barcelona, ES
Floor Lamp Model "Lyndon" Manufactured by O-Luce Italy, 1977 Stainless steel (AISI) and brass, clear glass diffusers Measurements 265h cm height 104,3h in height Details Manufacturer...
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vico Magistretti 'Snow' Floor Lamp for Oluce, Italy, 1973
By Vico Magistretti, Oluce
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very rare floor lamp designed by Vico Magistretti for O'luce, 1973. This floor lamp is type ‘Snow’ and was only in production for a very short period because this was a very expensiv...
Carrara Marble, Steel
Nemo Claritas Floor Lamp in Black Aluminium & Steel by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Claritas is the first lamp designed by Vico Magistretti, produced with Mario Tedeschi in 1946. The lamp is made of bent metal tubes, painted in black. Parts of the structure are in c...
Aluminum
Snow Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, Italy, 1973
By Vico Magistretti, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, ES
Floor lamp model Snow designed in 1973 by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, Italy. Black metal stem with Carrara marble base and white acrylic shade. Early edition with the conical marble ...
Marble, Metal
Oluce Pascal 345/L Floor Lamp design Vico Magistretti - 220–240V
By Vico Magistretti, Oluce
Located in Varedo, MB
The Pascal 345/L floor lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, is a refined example of geometric purity and functional elegance, reflecting the iconic design language of Magist...
Metal, Aluminum
Mid-Century Floor Lamp "Snow" by Vico Magistretti for Oluce Italy 1970
By Vico Magistretti, Oluce
Located in DE MEERN, NL
Snow Floor Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, Italy, 1970s An enduring icon of Italian modernism, the Snow floor lamp by Vico Mag...
Carrara Marble, Metal
Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamp "Snow" by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, Italy, 1970
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern floor lamp "Snow" by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, Italy, 1970. Large white plexiglas shade and a circular Carrara marble base. Condition : Good condition Des...
Marble