Throughout his life, the sky served as a muse for lighting master Gino Sarfatti. He was fascinated by the perfect light emitted by the Moon, and one of Gino Sarfatti’s most brilliant designs is inspired by the natural poetry of the luminous satellite.
In 1959, Le Sfere was launched in a solar system of its own, revolving around a single luminous sphere. Le Sfere features a simple, yet elegant principle in which a blown opaline glass sphere is held in place by a graphic ring. A refined embrace that lends the luminaire a graphic expression and brings forth its distinctive aesthetic.
The Le Sfere collection is a multifaceted, open-minded luminaire system, suitable for illuminating all kinds of spaces with its ambient moonlight, from a modest corridor to exclusive private and commercial settings.
The collection was gradually expanded to fit larger commissioned projects. Among them is the famous Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, where Le Sfere can still be seen in a variety of compositions, including cascades and columns, that emphasise the genius and beauty of the system.
The Le Sfere collection is the largest product family by Gino Sarfatti with models that have developed over time, from the first single sphere, Model 237, to the iconic twenty-four-sphere chandelier. All created from the same fundamental principle: a beautiful interpretation of the perfect luminous sphere.
| Suspension | |
| Opaline Glass Diffuser, Steel Structure | |
| ∅ 740 × 140mm | |
| 700–1600mm | |
| 1800 | |
| ∅ 140mm | |
| 12 × E14 LED 4.5W (60W Max) 470lm (5640lm Total) 2700K Complimentary Bulbs Included * |
| Suspension | |
| Opaline Glass Diffuser, Steel Structure | |
| ∅ 950 × 140mm | |
| 700–1600mm | |
| 1800 | |
| ∅ 140mm | |
| 14.80 | |
| 16 × E14 LED 4.5W (60W Max) 470lm (7520lm Total) 2700K Complimentary Bulbs Included * |
| Suspension | |
| Opaline Glass Diffuser, Steel Structure | |
| ∅ 1340 × 140mm | |
| 700–1600mm | |
| 1800 | |
| ∅ 140mm | |
| 21.20 | |
| 24 × E14 LED 4.5W (60W Max) 470lm (11280lm Total) 2700K Complimentary Bulbs Included * |
| Suspension | |
| Opaline Glass Diffuser, Steel Structure | |
| ∅ 1400 × 200mm | |
| 700–1600mm | |
| 1800 | |
| ∅ 200mm | |
| 26.20 | |
| 16 × E27 LED 7W (60W Max) 806lm (12896lm Total) 2700K Complimentary Bulbs Included * |
Born in Venice in 1912, Gino Sarfatti studied to become an aeronautical engineer until family circumstances compelled him to relocate to Milan where he had his first encounter with lighting, an engineering project to transform a glass vase into a lamp. This encounter with lighting design and engineering shaped the path of his life. In 1939 Gino Sarfatti founded his company Arteluce, which brought lighting into the 20th century combining innovative ideas with groundbreaking design.
Arteluce won numerous prizes and awards including the Compasso d’Oro in 1954 and 1955, and the Honorary Diploma of the Milan Triennale, becoming an important meeting place for many leading Italian architects throughout the 50’s and 60’s. The first Milanese Arteluce retail space was designed with Marco Zanuso in 1951. Ten years later Gino Sarfatti and his lifelong friend Vittoriano Viganò designed their flagship location on Via della Spiga.
Throughout his career, Gino Sarfatti explored and was inspired by new product typologies, innovative materials, lighting technologies, and production techniques. His hybrid talent as a designer and engineer enabled him to created refined products in both aesthetics and function.
Gino Sarfatti was a significant figure in the history of Italian industrial design, developing more than 700 luminaires. In 1973 he retired on Lake Como, with Flos acquiring Arteluce and their expansive catalog.
Gino Sarfatti died at Gravedona in 1985.
