Gaetano Sciolari

Angelo Gaetano Sciolari (1927-1994) was the owner of Sciolari Lighting and designer for the Italian manufacturer Stilnovo in the 1950s. It was while working for Stilnovo that Sciolari "created his most recognizable and celebrated designs, a series of multi-light chandeliers fashioned with both glossy and matte metal, conjuring up futuristic visions of the dawning space age." Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s his designs were in high demand, with his designs imported to the American market by Lightolier & Progress Lighting. During this same period, his designs appeared prominently in popular television and film due to their luxurious and futuristic appearance. This has been considered remarkable because Sciorlari's first love was the cinema, a passion he gave up to pursue architecture. He is also remembered as providing a "considerable contribution to the success of the Italian design around the world and in particular in the United States." Despite passing away in 1994, Sciolari's designs have grown in popularity and demand, becoming sought after collectors pieces and fetching a high retail price. Sciolari's Geometric Series, Habitat Series, Cultura Series, and Futura Series are among the most sought after. Noted Interior designer Veere Grenney often uses Sciolari, having recently updated a home designed by John Nash Round, the architect of Buckingham Palace and much of Regency London, with a Sciolari fixture that he described as " a piece of sculpture on the ceiling". A Sciolari chandelier now hangs in Howard Hughes's former mansion, a Spanish Colonial hacienda in the Hancock Park section of Los Angeles.