The table lamp provides a glare-free, soft and comfortable light with the white painted metal shades that direct most of the light downwards. Poul Henningsen designed the current model for release in 1966 based on his celebrated three-shade system, which he created in 1925 to shape excellent non-glare lighting.

Henningsen had a distinct scientific approach to light and continued to design numerous luminaires based on the same system. He used the logarithmic spiral as the foundation and accomplished even distribution of light with the multi-shade-system that made it possible to curb glare and shadow.

Over the years, he designed a great variety of coloured metal shade lamps with white painted inner surfaces to reflect and diffuse the light. At one point some were made with golden or silver-coloured inner surfaces to obtain a warmer or colder lighting.

Each PH lamp number refers to the size of its shades. The PH 4/3 Pendant consists of a top shade of approximately 40 cm with lower shades from the 3/3 version.