Hans Bergström ceiling lamp

This ceiling lamp, designed by Hans Bergström and produced by Ateljé Lyktan in Åhus, Sweden during the 1940s, is a highly rare and sculpturally expressive lighting piece that exemplifies the confluence of art and functional design in Scandinavian mid-century lighting. It combines decorative brass reliefs with a fluted, translucent lampshade structure to create a visually rich and formally complex object.

The lamp features a conical shade with vertical pleating, rendered in a newly produced textile diffuser that replicates the original proportions and structure. Surrounding the lower perimeter of the shade are a series of repoussé brass reliefs in high contrast: stylized female figures, torsos, and faces, executed in an expressive, slightly cubist idiom. These reliefs are attached to the outside of the shade, and when illuminated from within, their silhouettes and textures are accentuated, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow.

The suspension system consists of three tensioned wires and a braided fabric electrical cord, all anchored into a circular brass ceiling canopy with sculptural rings and connectors. The lamp hangs with a total drop of 110 cm, and the maximum diameter of the shade is 41 cm. These dimensions translate approximately to 16.1 inches wide and 43.3 inches tall.

Hans Bergström, co-founder of Ateljé Lyktan, was a leading Swedish designer known for bridging the gap between artisanal lampmaking and industrial modernism. His work in the 1930s and 1940s often featured decorative elements inspired by the fine arts, a characteristic visible in this design. While his later work became more restrained and architectural, early pieces like this lamp reveal a unique fusion of sculptural form and technical design—a quality that sets his work apart in Scandinavian lighting history.

Ateljé Lyktan, established in 1934, quickly became a central force in Swedish lighting design. The company specialized in handcrafted, custom lighting for public and private interiors and played a pivotal role in shaping modern Swedish interiors throughout the mid-20th century.

The lamp is in excellent condition, with the brass figures showing minor natural patina and the textile shade newly produced to match the original aesthetic and light diffusion properties. All structural and electrical components are fully functional and visually intact.

This ceiling lamp represents an important chapter in early Scandinavian modernism, blending narrative sculptural detailing with modern materials and lighting principles. Its rare execution and distinctive artistic approach make it a significant collector’s object within Bergström’s oeuvre and the broader field of 1940s Swedish design.