Until today Gino Sarfatti is considered as one of the most significant light designers of the 20th century. He was born in 1912 in Venice, Italy, and after completing school, moved to Genoa where he studied aircraft and space technology. Because of difficult political circumstances and resulting financial problems, Sarfatti had to interrupt his studies. He moved to Milano and, while selling glass artefacts, discovered that he had an interest in light design that was the starting point of his professional career.
In 1939, Sarfatti founded Arteluce where he developed innovative illumination solutions with fresh designs. During WWII, he had to flee to Switzerland with his family, but came back to Milano just after the war and dedicated himself to his company's reconstruction. Arteluce produced light fixtures for the home and for the public sector. Besides, he also operated a retail business. Cruise liners, museums and theaters, among them the Palazzo Bianco in Genoa and the Teatro Regio in Turin, were some of his projects.
The use of innovative materials, the experimentation with new production technologies and lamps made the particularity of Sarfatti's work. He had lights of Plexiglas, a synthetic material still in the stage of development at the time, already made in 1951. Besides, Gino Sarfatti was the first to use halogen lamps for a table lamp in 1971. His designs owed him international recognition, and Franco Albini and Marco Zanuso, at the time young designers, worked for Arteluce.
Gino Sarfatti was awarded several prizes. He received the Compasso d'Oro ADI in 1954 for his light model 559 and won the Compasso d'Oro in 1955 for the model 1055. He was also awarded the honorary degree of the Triennale of Milano in 1955. His ceiling lamp 1063 of 1954 was included in the exhibition of the Museum of Modern Art.
During his lifetime, Gino Sarfatti conceived over 700 light fixtures. In 1973, he sold his company Arteluce to Flos and retired in his house at the lake Como. His son Riccardo Sarfatti, his wife Sandra Severi Sarfatti and the famous designer and architect Paolo Rizzatto founded the company Luceplan in 1978, following the foot steps of the father who was famous for its innovative strength and creativity. The internationally famous designer and entrepreneur died in Gravedona in 1985.