Verner Panton

Verner Panton (13 February 1926 – 5 September 1998) was a Danish designer and is widely regarded as one of the most influential furniture, lighting and interior designers of the 20th century. He was born in Gamtofte, Denmark, and studied architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1947 to 1951. During his final study years he worked in the studio of Arne Jacobsen, an experience that had a lasting influence on his understanding of form, space and colour.

Between 1953 and 1955 Panton travelled extensively through Europe, studying contemporary architecture, design and emerging materials. In 1955 he established his own design studio, later based in Switzerland, from where he developed a highly individual and experimental body of work. He became especially known for his radical use of colour, organic forms and new materials such as plastics, both in furniture and lighting design, as well as in complete interior environments.

Among his most iconic designs are the Panton Chair and a series of lamps from the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the Flowerpot, which reflect the optimistic and experimental spirit of that period. Panton’s work often challenged conventional ideas of living spaces and played a key role in shaping the visual language of late modern design.

Over the years, Verner Panton worked with several manufacturers, each period resulting in distinct lighting designs. For Louis Poulsen, he designed some of his most famous lamps, including this Flower Pot, Topan, Panthella and Moon, all of which show his interest in glare-free light and strong, simple forms.

With J. Lüber AG in Switzerland, Panton developed a series of more experimental and decorative lighting designs, such as the Fun, Spiral, Globe and Shell lamps. These designs often combined metal, plastic and reflective elements, and were closely linked to his interior concepts from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Later, several of Panton’s lighting designs were reissued or newly produced by Verpan, the company dedicated to his legacy. This includes re-editions of lamps such as the Fun, Spiral, Moon and Globe, as well as other lighting objects originally conceived for interiors and exhibitions. Through these different collaborations, Panton’s lighting designs evolved from functional metal lamps to sculptural, atmospheric light objects that remain influential today.

Verner Panton received numerous international awards during his lifetime and remains a central figure in 20th-century design history.

Louis Poulsen

Louis Poulsen is a Danish lighting manufacturer with roots going back to 1874, when Ludvig R. Poulsen started a business in Copenhagen. The company later shifted from general trading into tools, electrical supplies and, eventually, lighting. In 1896 his nephew Louis Poulsen joined the firm, and after Ludvig’s death in 1906 Louis continued the business. In 1911 Sophus Kaastrup-Olsen became a partner and the company name changed to Louis Poulsen & Co A/S; in 1917 Kaastrup-Olsen became the sole owner.

A key turning point came in the 1920s with the long collaboration with Poul Henningsen (PH). His work on glare-free lighting and shade systems became central to the company’s identity and strongly influenced modern lighting design. Since then, Louis Poulsen has continued to collaborate with architects and designers, producing both classic catalogue models and large-scale architectural lighting for public buildings.

Designers

The most famous designer associated with Louis Poulsen is Poul Henningsen (PH), followed by major Danish and international names such as Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Vilhelm Lauritzen and Vilhelm Wohlert.

In later years Louis Poulsen also worked with a wide range of designers and studios, including Alfred Homann, Louise Campbell, Øivind Slaatto, Andreas Hansen, Eila & John Meiling, Henning Klok, Axel Wedel Madsen, Jørgen Bo, Ole Valdemar Kjær, Christian Flindt, Clara von Zweigbergk, nendo (Oki Sato), Olafur Eliasson, Jens Møller-Jensen, GamFratesi, Bent Gantzel-Boysen, Anne Boysen and many others.

Verner Panton Topan pendant lamp – Catalogue Picture