Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) - Biography

 

Poul Henningsen was famous for modern lighting designer.

He was born Ordrup, in Denmark, on 9 September 1894. His mother, who was noted author.

From 1911 to 1917, he was trained at Copenhagen Technical College and the Technical University of Denmark, where he studied to be an architect, but had not graduated, he chose a career as an inventor and painter.

In 1919, he was hired by Kay Fisker. From 1920, he freelanced as an architect and designer. Henningsen presented the Paris Lamp at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts at Paris which was a World’s fair, was designed by the French government. He won gold medal for the Paris lamp, was consisted of 6 shades and made of silver.

A few years later, in 1925, he worked with Louis Poulsen which was company, had corporate with him until he was died.

Henningsen designed PH lamp series, which has three-shade system. The lamps were successful and gave him for royalty. 

He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1963, struggled with difficulty speaking, when he finally died on January 31, 1967.