Polychrome glass and metal sculptural wall lamp, attributed to Poliarte, Italy, 1970s

Polychrome glass and metal sculptural wall lamp, attributed to Poliarte, Italy, 1970s

An Italian sculptural wall lamp attributed to Poliarte, crafted in the 1970s from burnished metal and worked polychrome glass.

Its striking, graphic structure consists of a dense network of vertical metal elements that extend freely beyond the lamp's central body, creating a slender, almost architectural silhouette. Embedded within this grid are numerous thick glass elements featuring irregular and geometric shapes, distinguished by intentionally textured surfaces.

The composition alternates between clear, smoked, and colored glass in shades of amber, yellow, olive green, aquamarine, red, and blue. The varied glass textures—rippled, hammered, and irregular—capture and refract light in distinct ways, transforming the illuminated lamp into a sort of three-dimensional, luminous mosaic.

Particularly compelling is the contrast between the austere, almost Brutalist metal structure and the rich, colorful glass—a decorative style characteristic of Italian design in the 1960s and 70s, a period when lighting fixtures transcended mere function to take on the character of true wall sculptures.

A piece with a commanding presence—captivating even when unlit—where light, material, and color merge into a single composition.

Attribution: Poliarte
Production: Italy
Period: Circa 1970s
Materials: Burnished metal, worked polychrome glass
Type: Wall lamp / sculptural wall light