Poul Henningsen (1894 – 1967)
PH 4/3 tabel lamp
Screens in white lacquered aluminum, base in high-gloss chromed steel
H: 55cm Dia: 45cm
Louis Poulsen, Denmark
Manufacturer’s label below, type 27094
Designed in 1927
The fixture has been designed according to the principle of a reflective system with three screens, which largely direct the light downwards for a pleasant light distribution.
Poul Henningsen (1894 - 1967) was a Danish author, critic, architect, and designer, who was one of the leading figures of the cultural life of Denmark between the World Wars. In Denmark, he often is referred to, simply, as PH. His novel designs are featured in many museums. International interest in his work was revived during the 1960s.
Between 1911 and 1917 he was educated as an architect, but he never was graduated, choosing to follow a career as an inventor and painter.
His most valuable contribution to design was in the field of lighting. He designed the PH-lamp in 1925, which, like his later designs, used carefully analyzed reflecting and baffling of the light rays from the bulb to achieve glare-free and uniform illumination. His light fixtures were manufactured by Louis Poulsen. His best-known models are the PH Artichoke and PH5.
The lamps created the economic foundation of his later work. Manufacture and sale of some of his lighting fixtures, such as the PH5 Pendant Lamp, continues today. Other notable designs by him include the PH Grand Piano, examples of which are included in several prominent twentieth-century design collections, including that of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. He also designed Glassalen for Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
