Gruppo NP2 Sculptural Wooden Table Lamp with Fabric Shade

Gruppo NP2, table lamp, wood, fabric, Turin, Italy, circa 1970

This sculptural table lamp by Gruppo NP2 features a carved wooden base with stepped profiles, rounded openings and deep horizontal grooves. Its asymmetric composition gives the lamp a strong architectural character, softened by the warm grain of the wood. A tall cylindrical fabric shade balances the expressive base and diffuses a gentle, warm light.

Giovanni Ceccarelli, or Nerone, was born in Pisa in 1937. After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice and Florence, he moved to Turin where he continued to live and work throughout his life. Nonetheless, he did travel extensively to many different countries around the world. In 1962, Nerone, together with his friend and fellow student Giancarlo Patuzzi, established Gruppo NP2. The group created work together until 1974. During this period, the two cooperated internationally, receiving many awards and collaborating with other artists as well. In their creations, they experimented a lot by using different materials. They made monumental sculptures as well as furniture and panels, working with metals, marble, concrete and wood. Their intention was to free art and produce something that was not limited inside galleries or museums, to make something that could become an important part of daily life. For that period, this idea was revolutionary. Unfortunately, due to different ideas, the eventually departed ways. However, Nerone never stopped creating his own work and, up until his death in 1996, he constructed panels and sculptures.