Born in Lucca in 1921, Elio Martinelli graduated as a set designer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, and this training, together with his activity in the lighting sector with his father Plinio, led him to found the Martinelli Luce. In the 1950s, the need to have greater control over his work led him to start production and print the first catalog. Its prolific, original and far-sighted production and design led the company to quickly become a reference point for Italian lighting design. He himself will attend many events and reviews on Design in Italy and abroad. The success of the company (and of Elio) is due to the continuous search for formal simplicity and experimentation with new materials, such as methacrylate for the body of the luminaires. The inspiration for this joyful formal rigor comes from a precise observation of the forms of nature. Elio Martinelli, tireless and attentive designer, passed away in 2004, the company's baton passed to his daughter Emiliana, also a prolific Designer; but the greatest legacy left by him are timeless design objects that can still enhance the most varied environments today.
