A true mid century masterpiece: “Tempus”, is a mirror console by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass, which was designed for Poltronova in the mid 60s.
The interior decor featured in Domus magazine No. 433 (December 1965), page 37.
image 1 - Ettore Sottsass "Tempus" mirror, Domus magazine No. 433 (December 1965), page 37.
In 1957, Sottsass joined Poltronova, a producer of contemporary furniture, as an artistic consultant. Much of the furniture he worked on there influenced the design he would create later with Memphis Milano.
This particular piece, which you can admire in our showroom, comes from one of Sottsass' collaborators, who was directly involved in the mirror’s production alongside Ettore.
Paolo and Zeno Lumini were fortunate to meet the daughter of his collaborator and had the privilege of restoring this incredible piece, now recognised as a historic example of Sottsass’ revolutionary design.
The piece in our showroom is one of the earliest examples of the Tempus mirror. It is in fact one of the prototypes Ettore Sottsass created for Poltronova.
image 2 - Ettore Sottsass "Tempus" mirror. Lumini Collections Showroom 2025.
The Artist
Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) was a pioneering Italian architect and designer celebrated for his bold, unconventional approach that transformed the landscape of 20th-century design. Born in Innsbruck, Austria, and raised in Turin, Italy, Sottsass graduated in architecture from the Politecnico di Torino in 1939. After serving in the Italian military during World War II and enduring time as a prisoner of war, he returned to Italy and began his career working alongside his father before establishing his own studio in Milan.
image 3 - Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007).
Pioneering industrial design
Sottsass initially gained recognition through his work with Olivetti, where he designed iconic products such as the Elea 9003 mainframe computer (for which he was awarded the “Compasso D’oro” in 1959) and the bright red Valentine typewriter both of which became milestones in industrial design for their innovative use of color, form, and user-friendly aesthetics.
His work at Olivetti helped bring office equipment into the realm of popular culture, moving away from the drab and utilitarian designs of the past.
Memphis Group and the Postmodern movement
In 1981, Sottsass founded the Memphis Group, a collective of designers whose radical, postmodern creations-characterized by vibrant colors, geometric forms, and playful patterns-challenged the conventions of furniture and product design.
The Memphis Group’s work, including Sottsass’s own ‘Carlton’ bookcase and ‘Casablanca’ cabinet, became symbols of the postmodern movement and left a lasting impact on generations of designers.
Postmodernism is a late 20th century movement in philosophy, art, and culture characterised by skepticism toward universal truths, objective reality, and the authority of reason. It questions the assumptions of modernism-such as belief in progress, rationality, and objective knowledge-and instead emphasises subjectivity, relativism, and the idea that knowledge and truth are constructed rather than discovered
Throughout his prolific career, Sottsass worked across multiple media-furniture, ceramics, glass, jewellery, and architecture-always pushing boundaries and inspiring emotional responses through design.
The Legacy
His legacy endures in museums worldwide and in the continued influence of his daring, imaginative vision.
image 4 - Ettore Sottsass "Tempus" mirror. Lumini Collections Showroom 2025.
This unique piece of Sottsass work is on display at Lumini Collections, in Byron Bay.
Our website is constantly updated with new arrivals. For the latest news, consider following us on Facebook and Instagram.
