Mikrokosmos Bowl by Olof Hult for Näfveqvarns Bruk, 1920

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Paris, 1925. A universe cast in iron.

cold beneath your fingertips. Heavy enough to feel almost immovable. Light travels across … Read more Paris, 1925. A universe cast in iron.

cold beneath your fingertips. Heavy enough to feel almost immovable. Light travels across the blue surface, catching the raised suns and symbols while disappearing into a century of oxidation.

run your hand across the iron and the universe appears beneath your fingertips.

the name itself reveals the idea behind the object.

designed in 1922 by swedish architect olof hult for näfveqvarns bruk, mikrokosmos was exhibited at the paris exhibition of 1925, the landmark event that came to define a new era of modern decorative art.

across the monumental cast-iron bowl, celestial and organic forms rise from the surface. Suns, radiating patterns and abstract symbols emerge from the rough metal, changing with the light as you move around it.

the contrast is remarkable.

iron is cold, dense and industrial. Hult used it to describe something weightless and infinite.

time has added another layer. The blue surface has aged and oxidised, settling into the deepest parts of the relief and giving the imagery a depth that no newly made surface could reproduce.

from across a room, mikrokosmos feels monumental and architectural. Up close, it becomes tactile — every ridge, hollow and irregularity in the casting asking to be touched.

mikrokosmos belongs to the extraordinary period when näfveqvarns bruk brought together swedish architects, artists and industry, creating objects that blurred the boundaries between sculpture, architecture and design.

to live with mikrokosmos is to live with its contrasts.

cold iron. Moving light. A century-old surface.

a small universe conceived in 1922, still carrying its mystery today. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
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