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Isamu Noguchi

Portrait of Isamu Noguchi in Little Tokyo in 1983
Isamu Noguchi, 1983Photo: Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

United States and Japan

1904 to 1988

Sculptor, Furniture designer, Landscape architect

Organic modernism, Sculptural modernism

Why the work matters

Isamu Noguchi was a sculptor who never quite separated art from the things people use. He worked in stone and bronze, designed gardens and stage sets, and made a handful of objects for the home that carry the same weight as his larger work.

His coffee table, two curved wood legs under a glass top, balances like a piece of carving. The Akari light sculptures, folded from washi paper over bamboo ribs, came from a paper-lantern town in Japan he wanted to keep alive.

The work

Icons, seen properly.

Dimensions and variants come from the current maker. Prices are a dated regional snapshot, not a promise. Always confirm the final configuration, delivery and total before ordering.

Noguchi coffee table by Isamu Noguchi
Noguchi coffee tablePhoto: Sailko via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Coffee table · 1948

Noguchi Table

Two interlocking solid-wood forms support a thick freeform glass top. The base changes shape as you walk around it.

Current specifications for Noguchi Table
MakerHerman Miller
Dimensions50 W x 36 D x 15.75 H in; 155 lb; 0.75 in glass top.
ModelsOne table size; etched signature on the glass edge and base.
Materials and coloursSolid black poplar, walnut, white ash or white oak base with clear glass.
PriceUS$3,195 at the official US store before temporary promotions.
Price checked 2026-07-30 · United StatesOfficial product record
Akari 10A light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
Akari 10A light sculpturePhoto: THOR via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Floor lamp · 1951

Akari 10A

A tall washi-paper lantern over bamboo ribbing and a slim steel frame, part of the much larger Akari family rather than a single lamp design.

Current specifications for Akari 10A
MakerVitra in Europe; Ozeki in Japan
DimensionsAkari 10A: 53 W x 53 D x 123 H cm.
ModelsTable, floor and ceiling lights across dozens of numbered Akari forms.
Materials and coloursShoji paper, bamboo ribbing and painted steel wire. Graphics and silhouettes differ by model.
PriceModel and regional dealer price. Vitra does not publish one price for the full family.
Price checked 2026-07-30 · EuropeOfficial product record

Explore the current Vestados maker file for Herman Miller.

Next in the archive

Wishbone Chair (CH24), 1950
Wishbone Chair (CH24), 1950Photo: robin red via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Denmark · Cabinetmaker

Hans Wegner

Wishbone Chair (CH24), Shell Chair, The Round Chair

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