Carl Fagerlund1915–2011
Carl Fagerlund was a distinguished Swedish lighting designer whose work helped shape modern Scandinavian illumination design in the mid-twentieth century. Born in Kalmar, he studied drawing and design at the Higher School of Art and Design in Stockholm, graduating in 1943. After a brief period as a drawing teacher, he joined the lighting department at ASEA in Stockholm in 1944, before becoming lighting architect at Orrefors Glassworks in 1946, a position that would define his career.
Fagerlund designed a wide range of pendant lamps, chandeliers and table lamps, many of which exemplify the refined elegance associated with Swedish lighting of the period. His work is characterised by carefully balanced proportions, expressive glass elements and a sophisticated interplay between light and material. While he produced numerous models for domestic interiors, he also completed large-scale commissions for prominent public buildings. These include Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde in Stockholm, Frederiksberg City Hall and Hotel d’Angleterre in Copenhagen, the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo, Kiruna’s former town hall, Möllevången Church in Malmö, General Motors headquarters in the United States and Gävle Crematorium.
Fagerlund exhibited widely throughout Europe, with presentations in London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Lund and Kalmar. In 1957 he received a silver medal at the 11th Triennale in Milan, confirming his international standing in the field of lighting design.
Coming from a prominent Swedish family, Fagerlund was the grandson of Adolph Fagerlund, Governor of Kalmar County. He married twice and had two children from his first marriage. His long career at Orrefors and his expertise in glass and light have made his lamps highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs of Scandinavian design.
