Glazed ceramic table lamp by Guido Gambone

Glazed ceramic table lamp by Guido Gambone, Italy, Florentine period, circa 1950–1960.
The body adopts a structured four-lobed silhouette, subtly flattened, giving the piece an architectural presence while retaining a certain softness in its contours. This volumetric construction, almost totemic in character, is emphasized by a pronounced shoulder and a constricted neck supporting the socket.
The surface is covered with a crackled white glaze, characteristic of Gambone’s research, over which unfolds a geometric linear decoration in ochre yellow. The motifs, rendered in thick lines punctuated with small black dots, form an angular, almost labyrinthine network that follows and accentuates the lobed structure of the body.
Guido Gambone (1909–1969) was one of the most important Italian ceramicists of the 20th century. Born in Campania, he trained in the artisanal tradition before establishing himself as a leading figure in the postwar revival of Italian ceramics.
The so-called “Florentine period” corresponds to a phase of artistic maturity, when Gambone settled and worked in Tuscany, particularly in Florence.
Gambone used several signatures, but the most well-known is the small stylized donkey, which has become emblematic of his work. It is especially associated with his most sought-after pieces today.