Luminator

In 1881, Luigi Fontana & C. was founded in Milan, specializing in the processing of glass, crystal, and mirrors. After participating in the 1906 Milan International Fair, the company was acquired by Saint-Gobain in 1910. Over the years, its artisanal origins began to evolve until a turning point in 1931, when Gio Ponti took over its artistic direction. It was Ponti who renamed the brand FontanaArte, adding “arte” to highlight the creative and design-driven spirit he envisioned for its future collections. FontanaArte was officially established in 1932, and in 2022 it celebrated its 90th anniversary. To mark the occasion, during Milan Design Week (June 6–12), the company’s historical archive was opened to the public. At the same time, the Stanze del Vetro museum in Venice hosted the exhibition FontanaArte. Living in Glass, curated by Christian Larsen, until July 31.

Pietro Chiesa (1892–1948) was a key figure in Italian Art Déco design, renowned for his mastery of glasswork. Born in Milan into a family of artists originally from Ticino, Switzerland, he studied at the Brera Academy and trained under furniture designer Giovan Battista Giannotti before founding his own studio, Bottega di Pietro Chiesa, in 1921. Chiesa debuted his work internationally at the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. In 1932, his studio merged with Fontana Arte, the prestigious glass and lighting company founded by Gio Ponti and Luigi Fontana, where Chiesa became artistic director. He created a wide range of works—from stained glass panels to lamps, tables, and decorative objects. His most iconic designs include the Fontana table (1932), made from a single bent sheet of clear glass; the Cartoccio vase (1932); and the Luminator (1933), a lacquered brass floor lamp. Chiesa’s work blended technical innovation with refined decorative sensibility, and his legacy lives on through the timeless designs he created. He passed away in Paris in 1948.