FontanaArte: The Italian Master of Glass, Light and Modern Design

FontanaArte, founded in 1932 in Milan by the architect Gio Ponti and Luigi Fontana, is one of the most iconic names in the history of Italian lighting and glass design. Born from the historic glass manufacturer Luigi Fontana & C., the brand became a creative laboratory where architecture, craftsmanship and industry merged to shape the future of modern design.

Origins and Identity

Gio Ponti envisioned FontanaArte as a place where glass could become architecture, giving rise to objects that combined the purity of material with the poetry of light. Under his direction—and later under the artistic leadership of Pietro Chiesa, who joined the company in 1933—FontanaArte produced pieces that quickly became milestones in the evolution of Italian modernism.

The company developed a unique language defined by:

the use of curved, layered and sandblasted glass,

metal structures with elegant proportions,

and a minimalist, timeless approach to form.

Iconic Designs

FontanaArte is responsible for some of the most recognized lighting pieces of the 20th century. Among its classics stand out:

Bilia by Gio Ponti (1932): a sphere of opaline glass balanced on a conical base—an emblem of geometric purity.

Fontana by Max Ingrand (1954): perhaps the most iconic Italian table lamp, with frosted triplex glass diffusing soft, atmospheric light.

Parola by Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni (1980): a sculptural combination of blown glass, crystal and borosilicate in perfect harmony.

Flûte by Franco Raggi (1999): a suspended cone of glass that captures and elevates the light source inside.

Uovo (1972): a perfect “egg of light,” an Italian design classic that embodies purity and simplicity.

FontanaArte has collaborated with celebrated designers such as Shigeru Ban, David Chipperfield, Archivio Storico FontanaArte, Federico Peri, Claesson Koivisto Rune, and many more.

Craftsmanship and Innovation

FontanaArte stands out for its unparalleled glassmaking expertise. Its pieces rely on techniques such as:

mouth-blown glass,

sandblasting,

engraving,

laminated and curved crystal,

and handcrafted metalwork.

This fusion of craftsmanship and industrial know-how defined Italian design from the 1930s onward and continues to be at the core of the brand.

Legacy and Contemporary Relevance

From Art Deco to postwar modernism and contemporary design, FontanaArte has influenced every era. Its lamps are staples in museums, architectural projects and private collections around the world.

Today, FontanaArte remains a reference in high-end decorative lighting, keeping alive the vision of Gio Ponti: light as a refined, timeless expression of architecture.