Hans Bergström
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a pair of table lamps, model "701", ateljé Lyktan, Sweden, 1950s.
Brass feet, braided leather stems, sprayed plastic shades, one with maker's mark, height ca 55 cm.
Minor wear, shades slightly different in colour.
Provenance
Hans Bergström – The Master of Light
A historical collection of lighting from ateljé Lyktan
Literature
Jansson, Johan, Ljuset ska vara vitt och lysa fritt historien om Ateljé Lyktan, TPB, Johanneshov, 2010, p. 235.
Designer
Hans Bergström was an architect and designer, born in 1910 in Karlshamn. He founded the lighting company Ateljé Lyktan with his wife Verna Norell in 1934.
Bergström began his artistic career with an apprenticeship at Ystad Metall, furthering his skills in metal craftsmanship. In 1929, he started at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design (today known as Konstfack), where he got to explore drawing, painting, and sculpture. The sculptural orientation particularly intrigued him, and during his final years in Stockholm he saw an opportunity to merge his interests in sculpture and metalwork. For his graduation project, he created a chandelier for the church in Iggesund. In 1934, the Bergström couple established the company Ateljé Lyktan, focusing on lighting fixtures. The indoor fixtures produced at Ateljé Lyktan were primarily made of brass, steel, glass, and textiles. Unlike previous trends, Bergström aimed for a more modern, simple, and clean style. His motto was "The light should be white and shine freely," and many of his works was to become future classics. Model 181, commonly known as "the cone," is considered by many as the most elegantly simple and stylish lamp created by Bergström throughout his career. In 1950, it was awarded a gold medal at the Biennale in Milan. Several of Hans Bergström's fixtures are still part of Ateljé Lyktan's assortment today.