Monica Backström sculpture

This is a sculptural studio glass object designed by Monica Backström, executed in Sweden during the 1950s. The piece is signed “Monica Backström Ateljé” indicating it was created within an atelier setting, reflective of the artist’s commitment to unique, handcrafted expressions within the glass medium.

The form is shaped as an egg, a recurring motif in Scandinavian glass art symbolizing organic continuity and containment. The exterior is composed of clear, handblown glass, seamlessly shaped into a thick-walled ovoid structure. Suspended inside the transparent body is a complex internal composition of elongated black glass rods. These rods vary in thickness and are arranged in an intersecting configuration radiating from the bottom center, giving a sense of expansion and structural tension. The positioning of the elements and the clarity of the encasing glass emphasize negative space and the visual interplay of light and shadow through the three-dimensional core.

Condition is good vintage, with minor surface abrasions consistent with age and prior handling. The glass remains optically clear, and there are no structural flaws such as chips or cracks.

Monica Backström (b. 1939) is a leading figure in Swedish studio glass, associated with bold experimentation in both form and content. Known especially for her work at Boda Glasbruk, her career includes a body of smaller studio works that emphasize sculptural abstraction, vivid coloration, and innovative internal decoration. While the colored variant of this egg form is more widely recognized, this monochrome black version is rarer and conveys a stark, minimalist elegance that aligns with the modernist aesthetics of the mid-20th century.

The dimensions of the piece are 24 cm in diameter and 30 cm in height, equivalent to approximately 9.4 inches in diameter and 11.8 inches in height.