PH 4½-4 glass pendant light from Louis Poulsen

Poul Henningsen designed the three-part lampshade as early as 1925/26 and the first models, which were created with the help of Louis Poulsen, were shown at an exhibition in Paris. This collaboration lasted until P. Henningsen's death in 1967. Throughout his life, Poul Henningsen's aim was to create luminaires with glare-free light that cast soft shadows and direct the light cone to the right place. The PH 4½ 4 glass pendant luminaire is part of a series of 30 models with a three-part shade, three of which are outdoor luminaires. Poul Henningsen was not just interested in designing one luminaire, but an entire system, from which around a thousand models have emerged over the years. The large range consists of table, floor and wall lamps as well as a number of chandeliers, which became increasingly popular as high-hanging home lighting in the 1930s. There were countless possible combinations, as the lights were available in a wide variety of sizes and colors. The first metal models had white, gold or silver painted insides, depending on whether the light was to have a diffuse, warm or cold effect. Later, the three-part shades were made of glass so that the lights not only emitted light downwards but also into the room. Poul Henningsen was the first to deal with light on a scientific basis, using the logarithmic spiral. With its help and the use of glass, he achieved an even distribution of light and diffuse reflection, i.e. glare and shadow effects could be influenced as desired. The brightness is evenly dimmed by the individual shade elements. The numbers in the model designation refer to the size of the shade segments. The original luminaires, such as model 2/2, have three segments, each with a diameter of 20 cm. The PH 4½ 4 glass pendant light model, however, consists of an upper segment with a diameter of 45 cm and two smaller ones below, which originate from the 4/4 model. They were designed because there was a desire at the time to hang the pendant lights lower. This model series also includes wall, table and floor lamps. The PH 4½ 4 pendant luminaire model in its current form was launched in 1980.