Philips

Through its lighting and design departments, Philips produced numerous luminaires between the 1950s and 1980s that have since become iconic: desk lamps, pendants, wall lights, and sculptural models in lacquered metal, opaline glass, or aluminum.

Philips and modernist lighting design

Founded in Eindhoven in 1891, Philips established itself in the 20th century as one of Europe’s leading names in lighting and industrial design. From the 1920s onward, the company developed a modern visual identity under the impetus of Louis Kalff, artistic director and a major figure in Dutch design.

Through its lighting and design departments, Philips produced many luminaires from the 1950s to the 1980s that have become iconic: desk lamps, pendants, wall lights, and sculptural models in lacquered metal, opaline glass, or aluminum.

While some Philips lamps are now attributed to Louis Kalff, no official documentation allows specific models to be formally linked to him. The luminaires presented under this label nevertheless reflect the modernist language developed within Philips’ design teams during this period.