Erik Höglund was an outstanding designer in the second half of the 20th century. He became famous for his bold, memorable shapes, and especially warm glass colors. Can say he influenced all art glass design in Scandinavia.
Erik Höglund (19332–1998) was born in Karlskrona and began studying visual arts at 16 in Stockholm. Though his background was in painting and sculpture, in 1953 he seized the opportunity to join Boda glassworks, then a small operation, on a trial basis. With little formal glass experience, he learned to blow and engrave glass during night shifts.
Breakthrough at Boda
By 1954, the National Museum in Stockholm had already acquired several of his pieces, marking Höglund’s debut as a fresh voice in Swedish glass.
Over the next two decades at Boda (later part of Kosta Boda), he introduced vibrant, earthy colors alongside robust, organic forms that broke from the era’s polished perfection.
Iconic Designs & Recognition
Among Höglund’s best-known creations is the Fars Glas family, designed in 1969, a sturdy wine glass with bold stem and bowl, that has recently been reissued by Kosta Boda.
His People and Bull series, featuring figurative motifs stamped or embedded into glass, became cult favorites, especially in mid-century collectors’ circles.
The master’s inspiration, among other things, was the indigenous cultures of South America.
Wider Impact & Legacy
Höglund also produced large-scale public commissions: around 150 mural-style glass installations adorn Swedish churches and schools, where vivid color and light interplay transform interiors.
Museums from Stockholm’s National Museum to Cooper Hewitt in New York now hold his work. His influence reshaped Scandinavian art glass, ushering in a more expressive, personal era that resonated far beyond Sweden.
