"Luna" Table Lamp
Manufactured by Stilnovo
Italy, 1970s
Enameled aluminum, chrome-plated brass, enameled steel, porcelain socket

Measurements
25,4 x 20,3 x 66h cm
10 x 8 x 26h in

Provenance
Private collection, Japan

Details
Signed with decal manufacturer's label to stem: "Stilnovo Milano Italy"

About
The Luna Table Lamp by Shigeaki Asahara, produced by the iconic Italian manufacturer Stilnovo in 1970, is a refined example of the dialogue between Japanese minimalism and Italian modernist lighting. Characterized by its enameled aluminum structure, chrome-plated brass details, and porcelain socket, the piece embodies the elegant precision and formal clarity that defined Stilnovo’s production at the time. A rare collaboration, Luna represents the meeting point between Italian postwar innovation and Japanese restraint.

Biography
Shigeaki Asahara (b. 1948) is a Japanese industrial designer known for his elegant approach to functional form and his subtle merging of Eastern and Western design sensibilities. Born in 1948, Asahara came of age during a period of significant cross-cultural exchange in the design world, which shaped his refined, modernist vocabulary. His most notable collaboration was with the Italian lighting manufacturer Stilnovo, one of the leading forces in postwar Italian design. For Stilnovo, Asahara designed the Luna table lamp in 1970—an emblematic piece that reflects his minimalist yet expressive style. The lamp's clarity of form, material contrast, and geometric precision speak to the intersection of Japanese restraint and Italian ingenuity, marking it as a quietly radical contribution to the evolution of contemporary lighting.
Although his career remains somewhat enigmatic, Asahara’s limited but striking body of work has become increasingly valued among collectors and historians for its cross-cultural depth and timeless aesthetic.