Sculptural Luminescence
The story of Alterlyset as we know it today, started in 1950 when Jens Andreas Dahl Hansen created a mould in which to make candles that would not require a candlestick or candelabra. Little did he know that the candles, initially named Hygge Lys, would become a preferred source of that emotional type of light required in churches.
Subsequently, Dahl-Hansen soon became a trusted supplier of stand-alone and hand-cast candles to houses of worship around the country.
Lighting candles is a deep-rooted tradition in the Nordic region, where candles are lit to celebrate just about anything.
In the Nordics, we light candles for Advent, Christmas, Easter, Walpurgis night, birthdays, weddings, funerals, christenings or just to create a cosy environment. In autumn and winter, the flickering light of a candle provides a gentle and warm respite from the long hours devoid of daylight. Lighting candles is a lovely way to slowly start the day on an autumn or winter morning and an equally perfect ritual to unwind and slowly bring a hectic day to an end.
Historically, the first candles were lit 2 500 years ago and in the 13th-century candle making was made into a guild craft in France and England. Candles, as we know them today, were preceded by very simple oil lamps, where the wick rested in an oil container.
Over the years, the humble candle from Alterlyset has been widely recognized. The simplistic and typically Danish industrial design is as timeless as it is practical, which has made the characteristic candles popular among design lovers.
The now-iconic Danish design classic is constructed with a wide base and it is meant to be placed directly on a table, bench or even on the floor, as a usable and luminescent sculpture. To this day, the Alterlyset candles are made of RSPO-certified vegetable stearin and finished by hand.
