Mr. Henningsen may not have had it with meaningful names for his designs. But he always had a knack for lamps that were to become absolute classics.
This is also the case with this pendant lamp, which was the result of a long process.
Already in the years 1925/26 Poul Henningsen designed the 3-part lamp shade, and the first models equipped with it were shown on a Paris exhibition. The cooperation with Louis Poulsen lasted until his death in 1967. All his life Poul Henningsen was interested in creating lamps with glare-free light, which cast soft shadows and direct the light cone to the right place.
In 1931 he created his first lamp with a 4-part shade for ceiling suspension, intended as an alternative to the chandeliers commonly used at the time. The aim was to improve the light distribution to the sides, so that room walls and shelves could be better illuminated than was possible with a 3-part shade.
The model disappeared from the range in the forties, but was revised in the late seventies and turned out larger. The PH 6½/6 was born, and a small blue shade element was added to deal with the constant problem of blinding light. The surfaces of the remaining elements were designed in matt white to achieve uniform, pleasant lighting effects, especially in museums and showrooms as well as in high rooms.
The smaller 5/4½ model followed a few years later and was originally intended for the concert building Århus Musikhus.
