Max Ingrand for FontanaArte | Pair of Wall Sconces (ca.1950)
A particularly rare pair of Model 1598 wall lamps by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte, produced in Milan in the 1950s. Materials: Ground crystal with chiselled parts on a partially satin-finished background, nickel-plated metal and zapon-plated brass. Dimensions: 19.88 × 7.87 × 5.31 inches (50.5 × 20 × 13.5 cm) Milan, 1950s. Max Ingrand (1908 - 1969), born in France in 1908, was one of the most celebrated glassmakers and decorators of the post-war era. Ingrand studied decorative arts at the School of Fine Arts in Paris and served as the artistic director of the Italian lighting company, FontanaArte, between 1954 and 1964. During his time at FontanaArte, Ingrand designed some of his most iconic works, including the Fontana lamp, which is still in production. Ingrand was also an accomplished stained glass artist and created panels for institutions around the world, including the Cathedral of São Paulo in Brazil and the French Institute in London. Ingrand, a recipient of the Legion of Honor—the highest French order for military and civil merits—died in 1969. FontanaArte, established in 1932 in Milan, is intricately woven into the fabric of Italian design history, championed by the visionary Gio Ponti and his drive to forge a cultural unity amid industrial evolution.