Danish Lights: 1920 to Now

Not just a design object, but also the symbol of a particularly Danish way of life.

Lamp design is a field that continues to attract great attention, from both designers and design aficionados. With Poul Henningsen’s iconic PH-lamp as its point of departure the book tells the stories behind 100 Danish lamp designs through text and images, and introduces the reader to the inventions that enabled the first revolutionizing light sources.

Lighting is a key element in ‘hygge’ – the Danish definition of a warm and cosy ambience. Although hard-core functionalists like Henningsen called for form to follow function, real-life factors required them to compromise, and this came to define Danish lamp design: hygge is a crucial quality that had to be included in the design. Thus, the purpose of the modern Danish lamp was– and is – not only to provide light but also to act as a decorative element and to spread a cosy ambience.

About the Author:

Malene Lytken is a trained designer and art and design historian and is an employee with Designmuseum Denmark. Lytken holds a PhD for her dissertation Candles and Lamps in Danish Homes.