Artemide Table Lamp Nesso
Artemide Table Lamp Nesso

Nesso

$490

Made by Artemide

Designed by Giancarlo Mattioli

Designed in 1965 by Giancarlo Mattioli with the Gruppo Architetti Urbanisti Città Nuova, the Nesso table lamp stands as one of the most recognized objects of Italian postwar design. Its wide, sheltering cap channels light downward in a warm, focused pool, a gesture as deliberate as the form itself.

The lamp was molded from injection-molded ABS polycarbonate at a moment when the material was genuinely new. Rather than treating plastic as a compromise, Mattioli and his collaborators approached it with the same conviction a previous generation had given to bronze or glass. The result is an object that made industrial production feel like sculpture.

  • Designed by Giancarlo Mattioli, 1965
  • Produced by Artemide, Italy
  • Injection-molded ABS polycarbonate construction
  • Available in orange and white
  • Downward diffused illumination

The two colorways carry distinct atmospheres. Orange situates the Nesso in the pop sensibility of its era, bold and self-assured. White reads as quieter, more architectural, equally present. Either way, the silhouette is unmistakable.

Color
Color: White

Typically ships in 12-14 weeks.

Pairs well with

Product Details

Details
  • Material: Injection-molded ABS thermoplastic
  • Environment: Designed for indoor use (dry locations).
  • Power: 20W total, using four 5W E14 bulbs.
  • Voltage: Compatible with 220-240V systems.
  • Switching: Standard in-line switch on the power cord.
  • Light Source Type: Compatible with E14 socket bulbs
  • Color Options: Available in White and Orange.
Measurements

H: 13.26" Dia: 21.06" in
H: 34, Dia: 54 cm

Shipping & Returns

Please refer to our shipping and return & exchange policy.

Warranty

Luminaire is an authorized retailer of Artemide. The product comes with a full manufacturer warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Artemide Nesso lamp?

The Nesso was designed by Giancarlo Mattioli in 1965 in collaboration with the Gruppo Architetti Urbanisti Città Nuova. Artemide has produced it continuously since its introduction, and it remains one of the most recognized objects of the Italian design canon.

What material is the Nesso lamp made from?

The Nesso is molded from injection-molded ABS polycarbonate. At the time of its design, this was a deliberate and forward-looking material choice, celebrating industrial plastic as a medium capable of sculptural precision and formal clarity.

What kind of light does the Nesso emit?

The Nesso diffuses light downward through its wide, mushroom-shaped cap, producing a warm, concentrated pool of illumination. It functions well as ambient or accent lighting on a desk, console, or side table.

Is the Nesso lamp considered a design classic?

Yes. The Nesso has been in continuous production since 1965 and is held in the permanent collections of several major design and applied arts museums. It is widely regarded as a defining object of postwar Italian industrial design.

What are the available colors for the Nesso?

The Nesso is available in orange and white. The orange colorway connects directly to the pop sensibility of the 1960s, while the white reads as more restrained and architectural, each carrying a distinct presence in a space.

Brand & Designer

Artemide
Stellar Nebula

Artemide

Founded in 1959 in Milan, Italy, by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza, Artemide specializes in human‑centered Italian lighting shaped by innovation and craftsmanship.
Giancarlo Mattioli
Nessino

Giancarlo Mattioli

An Italian designer and urban planner best known for the iconic Nesso lamp and for decades of civic work shaping Bologna.