Per Lütken was a Danish draughtsman and glass craftsman and one of Holmegaard’s most important glass designers. He graduated from the School of Danish Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen in 1938, where he sharpened his natural talent for drawing. When he arrived at Holmegaard at the age of 25, he had never worked with glass before. In 1942, Per Lütken replaced Jacob E. Bang as creative director of Holmegaard Glasværk, and drew the design line of the glassworks until his death in 1998.

Per Lütken

Though he lacked much experience, Per Lütken's sense for the possibilities of glass was incredible, and it is, in particular, his many drinking glass series that have become classics with a high collector’s value, and which are synonymous with the craftsmanship and reflections in glass that Holmegaard is known for. Over the course of his long career as a glass artist, Per Lütken designed over 80 different glass series, and he would become one of Denmark’s biggest glass designers.

Per Lütken was of the opinion that drinking glasses should have a certain natural glass weight, and they also had to ooze glass craftsmanship. Based on this philosophy, in 1970 he created the No. 5 glass series. And the following year saw the production of the famous Skibsglas glasses, which would become one the biggest sellers. With this series, he managed to achieve a perfect balance between elegance and practicality, and showed that he had a design philosophy that the ordinary consumer could identify with. And his glasses were a huge success for many years.

As Holmegaard’s great inspirator, Per Lütken was known for his perfectionism and the great demands he placed on the glass blowers. And his eye for detail and creativity encouraged other artists to come to the glassworks and maintain that innovative focus that Holmegaard has always been known for. Per Lütken participated with Holmegaard at many design exhibitions in Denmark and abroad, just as his designs are represented in museums around the world – including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.