Italy

Serpente celebrates its 60th anniversary with the energy of orange

A symbol of geometry, nature, dynamism, functionality, and technology—key elements in its designer’s philosophy—Serpente remains one of Martinelli Luce’s iconic pieces to this day.

The lamp was designed in 1965 by Elio Martinelli, founder of the company, who in the 1950s transformed his father Plinio’s electrical shop into a modern company offering innovative products, which over the years have enabled it to achieve a high standing both nationally and internationally.

Serpente represents the creative rush and experimentation that took hold at Martinelli Luce in the 1960s, giving rise to some of the brand’s iconic lamps and uninterrupted successes, such as Cobra, Pipistrello and Bolla. And it was no coincidence: it was during this period that the word “design” took shape, the symbiosis between form and function, the use of bright colors such as yellow and green was introduced, and the Pop movement exploded. These were years in which research, both in materials—including plastics—and in new production technologies, brought new expressive possibilities to the industry and allowed Elio himself to carry out the unprecedented experiments that became one of his trademarks. Plastic burst into the daily lives and imaginations of millions of people: in living rooms, innovative lamps such as Serpente simplified everyday life and gestures, revolutionizing habits and helping to create the “modern” lifestyle.

Serpente has successfully resisted changing fashions over the decades and has remained unchanged over time: designed in both table and floor versions, it stands out for its swivel arm that allows the white diffuser to rotate 360 degrees, generating a fluid movement reminiscent of the sinuous elegance of a snake. Innovative techniques for the time were used in its construction: in particular, special molds were designed and developed in-house for the thermoforming of the diffuser, characterized by its undercut, as well as for the highly complex curvature of the arms.

To mark its 60th anniversary, Serpente is lit up in a special light: the metal arm is colored orange, a shade that Martinelli Luce has brought back into its catalog for this lamp, but which has always been present in the brand’s history. Orange was also one of the symbolic colors of the optimistic and vibrant 1960s, when the lamp was created. It is a warm, positive, lively, cheerful color that conveys strength, good humor, excitement, and a zest for life.

“Orange is a color that evokes enthusiasm, movement, and creative freedom, the same that characterized my father Elio Martinelli and still guides our work today. I remember this lamp in our house, standing out on the piano when my son Marco

started playing it as a child. Serpente is part of our history, both as a family and as a company, and fully identifies us” comments Emiliana Martinelli, President of Martinelli Luce.