Scion of an Italian family that had sold lighting since 1892, Gaetano Sciolari (1927-1994) distinguished himself early with his lamp design, first for Sciolari Lighting and subsequently for Stilnovo in the 1950s. Glossy, metallic, and boldly innovative, Sciolari’s serial, geometric pendants seemed to light the way to the future. The American firm Lightolier were quick to spot his talent, and imported his designs to the United States, where they enjoyed popular esteem in the 50, 60s, and 70s, often appearing in films and television to signify ‘tomorrow.’ This so-called ‘Cage’ lamp from the 60s, like a zoetrope composed of a giant slinky, may have been inspired by the neo-avantgarde Zero Group, whose gleaming chrome-and-mirror constructions supplied an artistic veneer to the push for postwar progress in Italy and West Germany.
