Born in Munich, Sapper studied philosophy, anatomy, and engineering, finally graduating with a business degree from the University of Munich. This demonstrated from an early age that Richard Sapper had many passions and was able to succeed in multiple different areas of academia. Sapper combined his skills for design and engineering with the flair and elegance of Italian styling to create some of the most iconic designs of the 20th century. He applied his skills to multiple areas of design, from car manufacturing to furniture crafting, Sapper applied his passion for design to as many industries as he could. His success in lighting design came in 1972 when he first designed the
Tizio collection for the Italian design brand
Artemide.
The Tizio lamp quickly gained popularity and its innovative design was embraced and celebrated by many. The Tizio is undoubtedly the most renowned and remembered designs from Sapper and quickly became a symbol of the 1970s.