A LOOK INTO THE PAST Meet ‘Moloch’, a floor lamp over two meters high

The Moloch Floor Lamp is one of the most original lighting fixtures produced. At the same time, it is one of the most famous and strangest. It is the work of the famous Italian architect and pioneer of 20th century design, Gaetano Pesce.

It is made of anodizing aluminum, painted steel and wood, as well as plastic and glass. She is a staggering 233 centimeters tall.

Gaetano Pesce named his tall floor lamp after the ancient Canaanite deity Moloch , to whom certain tribes sacrificed children. Such a custom was widespread among the Canaanites and Ammonites, less often among the Israelites, where such practice is condemned by the prophets. In a metaphorical sense, Moloch is the all-devouring monster.

‘Moloch’ lamp found only 13 customers

The unusual lamp originates from the adjustable lamp “L-1” by designer Jac Jacobsen (1937), which was produced in more than 25 million examples by the Norwegian manufacturer Luxo

Incidentally, Pesce’s “Moloch” was the first object produced by the Bracciodiferro company. Although they intended to build 100 examples, the company sold only 13 by July 1975, its last year of production. The “000-C” stamped issue is one of six known prototypes in various finishes designated alphanumeric as follows: 000-A (mirror polished aluminum); 000-B (black aluminum); 000-C (bronze-anodized aluminum); 000-D (bronze aluminum); 000-E (black aluminum); and 000-F (black aluminum).

An example of the floor lamp “Moloch” as a gift from the manufacturer, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Gaetano Pesce (November 8, 1939) worked as an architect, urban planner and industrial designer during his 50-year career.

Pesce’s innovative architectural work

His outlook is considered broad and humanistic, and his work is characterized by an inventive use of colors and materials, establishing connections between the individual and society through art, architecture and design, with the aim of re-imagining contemporary life in the mid-20th century. century.

Photo: Wikipedia

Since the 1960s, Gaetano Pesce has been known for connecting art with interior design, products and architecture. Some of his most famous works include the Organic Building in Osaka, Japan, a landmark vertical garden building designed to conceal a complex, computer-controlled hydration system to sustain plant growth, and the interior architecture of the Chiat/Day office, a workplace modeled after urban life.

Pesce is perhaps best known for his work with resin, mold and casting techniques used to create objects including vases, chairs, lamps and two-dimensional reliefs that the designer calls “industrial skins.