Fontana Arte and the Design of Light

Fontana Arte is an Italian brand dedicated to the “design of light.” With its unique production of lamps and chandeliers of all kinds, it specializes in the art of glass craftsmanship. Its history is as fascinating as its products and the talented designers behind them.

Fontana Arte: The Story of an Italian Brand That Blends Light and Art

Fontana Arte was founded in 1932 when architect Giovanni Ponti—better known as Gio Ponti—created it as a subunit of Luigi Fontana’s company. Luigi Fontana owned a company specializing in the delicate and fascinating craft of glassmaking, a leader in its field.

However, this story begins earlier, in 1881, when Luigi Fontana founded Luigi Fontana & Compagni to produce glass sheets for construction use. A few years later, the company expanded its vision, starting to work on refined decorative elements, such as the stained glass windows of Milan Cathedral, and establishing collaborations with prominent architects of the era, including Gio Ponti.

The Milanese architect immediately realized the potential of combining the artistic and artisanal craftsmanship of glass with the emerging field of design—blending functionality with creativity. Alongside him was Pietro Chiesa, a master glassmaker and artist who helped found Fontana Arte, the company branch that merged artistic ideas, craftsmanship, and furniture. This marked the birth of the first designer lamps in crystal and glass.

In the 1950s, the French glassmaker Max Ingrand succeeded Chiesa as the project’s artistic director, leading to such growth in production that it reached an industrial scale, while maintaining its high product quality.

The real turning point came in the 1970s when the company was acquired by a group of entrepreneurs, and the artistic direction was entrusted to Gae Aulenti, an architect already collaborating with the brand. She fostered partnerships with major figures of modern architecture, such as Renzo Piano, Franco Raggi, Daniela Puppa, and others.

Today, nearly 90 years after its founding, Fontana Arte remains one of the world’s most renowned design companies, collaborating with some of the most acclaimed international designers.

Fontana Arte Products

The company’s products are as unique and remarkable as its history—crafted with perfect balance, both aesthetically and structurally. The processing of the raw material—glass—achieves and surpasses extraordinary quality standards, making each design piece truly exclusive.

Ceiling chandeliers, pendant lamps, wall lamps, floor lamps, or table lamps: light takes center stage and is further enhanced by using such ethereal and pure materials as glass or crystal. Blown glass, frosted or colored glass, pressed glass, crystal glass—these fragile yet timeless materials are combined with geometric, modern designs and paired with other materials like aluminum, chrome-plated metals, and polycarbonate.

The Design of Fontana Arte

Blown glass, frosted or colored glass, pressed glass, crystal glass—these fragile yet timeless materials are combined with geometric, modern designs and paired with other materials like aluminum, chrome-plated metals, and polycarbonate.

Fontana Arte production expertly combines traditional craftsmanship with avant-garde design, resulting in products that are both current and highly contemporary, yet firmly rooted in their artisanal heritage.