Glow up: inspired lighting to live by

From a René Lalique chandelier to iconic lamps by Tiffany Studios, these works by celebrated designers will illuminate, and elevate, any room. Offered in Christie’s Modern Collector sale this month

Words By Emilie Murphy
Two lamps: one with a floral patterned, dome-shaped shade and a classic base, and the other with a modern, intertwined metal base and a plain shade.

Spanning Art Nouveau masterpieces and mid-century modern icons, these exceptional lighting designs offered in Christie’s Modern Collector do more than brighten an interior; they’re conversation-starters. The sale will present defining works of furniture, lighting and sculptural design online from 25 February to 11 March in New York.

Futuristic and flexible

vitrac lights

Jean-Pierre Vitrac (b.1944), Éventail Table Lamp, Model No. 10481, designed 1972. Chrome-plated metal, opaline glass. Sold for $17,640 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

Designed by artist Jean-Pierre Vitrac in 1972, the Éventail Table Lamp embraces the clean, futuristic style for which he became renowned. Made of chromed metal and opaline glass, the lamp is composed of four articulated elements that can be fanned out in a variety of sinuous forms, allowing precise control over the direction and intensity of light.

A chandelier that’s all passion

René Lalique (1860-1945), Passiflore Chandelier, Model No. 2263, 1924. Molded and frosted glass. 31 in (79 cm) long (hanging), 20 in (51 cm) diameter. Sold for $20,160 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

This globe-like chandelier by René Lalique comprises 12 pentagonal plates of glass featuring moulded chrysanthemum designs connected by metal clips. A jeweller and glassmaker who profoundly influenced the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, Lalique created glasswork celebrated for its ornamentation and technical mastery. Named for the passionflower, the chandelier’s frosted finish generates a soft, romantic ambience.

LA modern by way of Sweden

Topped by two adjustable bullet-shaped shades, this aluminum and brass floor lamp hails from the oeuvre of Greta Magnusson-Grossman, the trailblazing Swedish designer and architect who brought mid-century Scandinavian sleekness to Los Angeles. Her Rodeo Drive studio attracted celebrity clients including Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo.

No wallflower

Émile Gallé. Wisteria table lamp, c. 1925. Cameo glass overlaid and acid-etched, gilt bronze. 23¼ in (59 cm) high, 14½ in (36.8 cm) diameter of shade. Sold for $44,100 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

The Art Nouveau lamps of the French artist Émile Gallé are prized for their glasswork and intricate floral motifs. This Wisteria table lamp showcases the rich colour palette that set Gallé’s work apart. Its stunning yellow shade will be the focal point of any room in which it stands.

Light as sculpture

Félix Agostini (1910-1980), Tentation Floor Lamp, c. 1957. Patinated bronze, cotton shade. 67½ x 17⅜ x 21⅝ in (171.5 x 44 x 55 cm). Sold for $15,120 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

The French designer and artist Félix Agostini brought a sculptor’s sensibility to his lighting works, known for their sinuous, organic lines. Handcrafted from patinated bronze, the slender base of his Tentation floor lamp evokes a twisting branch or vine, adding a touch of surreal whimsy.

A pop of colour

Gaetano Pesce (1939-2024), Salvatore Table Lamp, 1999. Polychrome polyurethane, enameled steel. 27⅞ x 26½ x 8⅞ in (70.7 x 67.3 x 22.5 cm). Sold for $2,016 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

This bright, eccentric design exemplifies the work of Italian architect and artist Gaetano Pesce. Reminiscent of the human form, the Salvatore table lamp is polychromatic, playful and totally unexpected.

Bringing the outside in

Tiffany Studios, Dogwood Lamp Shade, c. 1910. Leaded glass, patinated bronze with a later 'Roman' floor base. 64½ in (163.8 cm) high, 20¼ in (51.5 cm) diameter of shade. Sold for $27,720 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

Works from Tiffany Studios are coveted all over the world for their unparalleled craftsmanship and beauty. This floor lamp’s shade features a spray of dogwood blossoms, a motif that appears throughout Tiffany’s oeuvre. The later ‘Roman’ base accentuates the soft, warm light that filters through the panels of glass.

A table lamp with daring curves

Hervé Van der Straeten (b. 1965), Volubile Table Lamp, NO. 320 GM, 2006. Patinated and polished bronze, paper shade. 26 x 25 x 19 in (65.4 x 74.2x 50.6 cm). Sold for $11,970 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

This Volubile table lamp by Hervé Van der Straeten displays the bold, sculptural aesthetic for which the Belgian designer is famed. Made from patinated and polished bronze, the lamp’s fluid, curvilinear form makes an elegant statement in any room.

Bedecked with Murano beads

Angelo Lelii (1911-1979), Wall Light, Model No. 13075, c. 1970. Murrine hand-blown glass, stainless steel, metal. 21⅛ x 8⅛ x 2¼ in (53.5 x 20.5 x 5.5 cm). Sold for $6,048 in Modern Collector on 11 March 2025 at Christie’s Online

This rare wall light from Italian artist Angelo Lelii blurs the boundaries of art and design. Adorning a sheet of stainless steel with jewel-like Murano glass beads, Lelii incorporates a variety of colours and geometric patterns in a painting-like composition. Light glows through the beads and seeps out from the sides of the metal surface, casting an ethereal glow. 

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