Nordic Modernism

NORDIC MODERNISM

Jacksons

Exhibition Jacksons Berlin

Nordic Modernism

Catalogue Editors Paul and Carina Jackson Clara Jo Introduction Sofia Silfverstolpe Graphic Design Anja Schumacher Photos Bernd Schäfer Achim Hatzius

Objects Gallery Views

Copy Editing Ally Bisshop Graphic Design Consultant Jorge MiĂąano Print & Production Europrint Medien

www. jacksons.se

Table of Contents

Introduction

5

Mogens Koch

14

Axel Einar Hjorth

20

Otto Wretling

34

Wilhelm Kåge

38

Kaare Klint

42

Sven Markelius

48

Ingegerd Torhamn

52

Poul Henningsen

54

Bruno Mathsson

58

Björn Trägårdh

62

Alvar Aalto

66

Ewald Dahlskog

74

Impi Sotavalta

78

Introduction Nordic Modernism: A Scandinavian Golden Age

Nordic Modernism was a multifaceted movement that occurred during the decade spanning the end of the 1920s until the end of the 1930s. This period is described as a golden age of Nordic architecture, famous for the important contributions to a number of epochal exhibitions during this time: the 1925 World’s Fair in Paris, the 1929 World’s Fair in Barcelona, the Stockholm Exhibition 1930, and the World’s Fairs both in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939.

Understood as a particularly strong and expressive era, Nordic Modernism was preceded by an edifying period of instructive design. As early as 1917, the Home Exhibition—a manifestation of Gregor Paulsson’s vision, also expressed in his text Vackrare vardagsvara (More Beautiful Everyday Things, 1919)—evinced the idea that industry should establish connections with artists. The aim was to produce and make accessible beautiful objects for daily use, of high quality and well-conceived design; objects which were not only intended for the elite, but for everyone. In turn, this led to young, talented artists involving themselves in the design industry, and exhibiting innovative design at both Swedish and international fairs.

The Gothenburg Exhibition in 1923 was a starting point for this union of art and design, featuring neoclassical influences with a modernised, vibrant design style. The exhibition was considered a "dress rehearsal" for the World’s Fair in Paris two years later, where this same aesthetic reached its zenith. English critic P. Morton Shand coined the phrase "Swedish Grace" to summarise the aesthetically graceful, yet somewhat pregnant expression of the 1920s.

A growing interest in aesthetics that integrated or responded to ideas regarding democracy and mass production laid the foundation for later developments.

Although only one year separated the 1929 World’s Fair in Barcelona and the Stockholm Exhibition in 1930, there were vast differences in the curated selection and character of these exhibitions. The head of the Swedish Pavilion for Barcelona was Nordiska Kompaniet’s chief designer, Axel Einar Hjorth. This exhibition was characterised by Hjorth’s typically high-end designs, both in terms of the chosen materials and craftsmanship. On display was some of

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the most exclusive and luxurious furniture produced in Sweden in the modern era. Although contemporary criticism of the exhibition was positive and it received favourable publicity, Axel Einar Hjorth was considered anachronistic by the influential Swedish Society of Industrial Design, and by many contemporary architects who had their sights fixed on nascent functionalism. What was exhibited in Barcelona was markedly different from the ongoing debates occurring within Swedish architectural circles at the time, which in turn diminished the historic importance of the 1929 Barcelona exhibition.

The impact achieved by the Stockholm Exhibition in 1930 cannot be overstated. Regarded as functionalism’s great breakthrough in Sweden, the exhibition attracted 4 million visitors during the six summer months of 1930. This was an incredibly high and significant number, considering the entire population of Sweden at the time was around 6 million. The Stockholm Exhibition promoted a sociopolitical programme with the express aim of raising standards in domestic living environments for the general public. The exhibition exemplified popular slogans such as “its purpose is its beauty”, and keywords such as simplicity and objectivity. This innovation divided critics into two factions: modernists versus traditionalists, engaged in a debate over the values of industrial production versus artisanal manufacture.

The fast pace of ideological and stylistic development in this period is illustrated by the construction of architect Gunnar Asplund’s Stockholm Public Library, which opened in 1928. It ranks as one of the foremost examples of Swedish Grace design. However, when the library was complemented with a lower building facing Sveavägen, architecture had already entered a new phase and taken on distinct, functionalist features. Consequently, in the transition from Swedish Grace—via the 1929 World’s Fair in Barcelona and the introduction of functionalism in 1930—design and architecture began a transformation. New forms began to crystallise, and these forms are described in terms of Nordic Modernism.

Nordic Modernism encapsulates a state of tension, a dualism between luxury craftsmanship and mass production. Axel Einar Hjorth—with his recognisably "high-end" aesthetic profile—gave expression to the private and luxurious mode of this period, although he would later follow this with a simpler line in the 1930s.

Other architects such as Sven Markelius had strong, functionalist ambitions with sociopolitical and democratic overtones, and advocated the standardisation and rationalisation of production.

Nordic Modernism is therefore not a cohesive style, but rather a term applied to various design expressions derived in an epoch which was characterised by a common desire for progress, and the express aim of modernising lifestyle, industry and aesthetics.

Elements of Nordic tradition inflected the works produced during this period. A strong artisanal tradition emerged as a distinctive influence in the designs of Nordic Modernism, perhaps best exemplified by Danish architect and furniture designer Kaare Klint. A technical virtuoso, Klint developed an independent style which did not seek to follow contemporary trends, and he took pains to convey his knowledge to future generations. Nordic Modernism is also characterised by the strong presence of, and reverence for, Nordic nature, reflected in the widespread and skilled use of wood. Alvar Aalto from Finland took the use of Nordic wood to its expressive limits, exploring its material capacity by employing new techniques capable of bending birchwood sourced from nearby forests into organic shapes. In its sparse expression, the curved wood also took into consideration the era’s hygiene programme.

Serving as an example is Alvar Aalto’s total design of the Paimio Sanatorium, which ranks as one of Nordic functionalism’s most important buildings. Here, the recovery of tuberculosis patients was the inspiration for both the architecture and its interiors, and ideas concerning good hygiene run like a scarlet thread through all of its design elements: from the way in which the wardrobes were mounted on the walls to facilitate cleaning, to the bentwood furniture that was easy to wipe and keep clean.

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In parallel with the Nordic love of wood, highly modern materials began to win favour and become incorporated into design. Influenced by the Bauhaus school, designs for steel-tube furniture appear in this period. Steel tubing had a number of advantages, in that it lent itself to industrial mass production, was relatively inexpensive and was easy to bend into unconventional shapes. The shiny steel tube appeared as a symbol of modernity and new possibilities. Designs changed to accommodate an emerging ambition to make furniture for the modern man and woman, without reference to history and tradition. Steel-tube furniture was more frequently used in public environments, and less often in private spaces.

The application of strong design and a sparse use of exterior decoration is characteristic of this period.

The emphasis was on the material—with the insight that the material itself was sufficiently expressive and needed little decoration—coupled with a focus on smooth surfaces. This approach was particularly apparent with ceramics, wherein simple yet intricate shapes were elevated with a coat of polychrome glaze, without decoration. Contemporary art also served as a source of inspiration. For example, Wilhelm Kåge’s Surrea vases reference Surrealism, a reference manifested through the simple idea of bisecting a vase, and then reassembling the two halves with a slight displacement that gave the final piece a new form.

A new category of furniture also began to gain popularity in this period. In 1929, a law was introduced in Sweden which gave people the right to a vacation, and which in turn led to the concept of "leisure time". It became increasingly common to have a holiday house and consequently demand grew for furniture of a more casual nature. Axel Einar Hjorth designed a “Weekend Cottage Furniture” series, which used simple materials such as acid-stained pine, and whose pieces were named after various islands: Blidö, Sandhamn and Utö, referencing popular holiday destinations in the Stockholm archipelago.

This headstrong, almost archaic design is inspired by Swedish folk culture, in combination with Axel Einar Hjorth’s personal interpretation of primitive

modernism. With the emergence of the concept of leisure time came a concurrent growth in recreational activities. Aided by mathematical calculations, Danish designer Poul Henningsen developed his own lighting system, PH, which allowed him to maximise light strength without it adversely affecting visibility.

Using this system, he designed the “Tennis Lamp” for Kjøbenhavns Boldklub.

The culmination of Nordic Modernism occurred at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, under the theme “Building the World of Tomorrow”. This exhibition made apparent the movement of a continentally influenced functionalism—with its terse simplicity— toward a softer and more moderate style that the press labelled “Swedish Modern”. The commencement and spread of the Second World War saw an abatement in design developments due to a lack of materials, a decimated workforce and, not least, great uncertainty.

The collective emotional response to wartime unrest corresponded to a desire for a gentler design ideal, softer shapes and the importance of a cosy home.

What remained was an admiration for clean design, a feel for the expressive possibilities of materials, and a strong deliberateness of expression.

The Nordic Modernism exhibition at the Jacksons showroom showcases furniture and design objects that were, for the most part, designed for a specific environment or “Gesamtkunstwerk” in the Bauhaus spirit. When we view them presented disparately, outside of their original context and environment, we are presented with a superb image of a golden age of design. The pieces in this collection emerged from an expressive design period in which aesthetic and technical quality was combined with an expert knowledge of materials and a spirit of innovation, a period now described with the slightly abstruse epithet - Nordic Modernism.

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Unique Sven Markelius Desk in his own home in Nockeby, Stockholm.

Mogens Koch 1898 - 1992

Danish architect Mogens Koch’s furniture designs were seen as an important contribution to the development of Nordic Modernism.

Greatly influenced by Kaare Klint’s approach, Koch’s furniture represents elegant, modern reworkings of traditional forms.

Partners Desk 1938 Produced by N.C. Jensen-Kjær, Denmark h.75cm/29,52” w.188cm/74” d.94cm/37” Provenance: From the Wandel’s family villa on Parkovsvej 19, Gentofte, Denmark.

Oak base, top fitted with the original pig leather made

by Anker Kyster. Oak moulding with brass screws. Apron with four drawers. Round legs with nickel plated brass caps. Designed 1935. This piece was apparently the first of only six examples made.

Axel Einar Hjorth 1888 - 1959

In parallel to the Stockholm Exhibition 1930, Hjorth was commissioned to create pieces for the interior of the Tรถsse Bakery in Stockholm.

Throughout the 1930s, Hjorth designed modern furniture pieces and special commissions for NK Nordiska Kompaniet, where he acted as chief architect for over 10 years. Notably, he designed furniture pieces for the Paris World Fair in 1925, and the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. Hjorth also designed rustic pinewood furniture in the late1920s, in response to a growing demand to furnish country houses in Sweden.

Dining Set 1930 Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden Table: h.74cm/29,1” dia.60cm/23,6” Chairs: h.83cm/32,6” d.52cm/20,4” w.59,5cm/23,2” Provenance: Tösse Bakery Stockholm 1930 Table: nickel-plated steel, top covered in black laminate.

Marked NK R 34728 C 2 29 74.

Chairs: nickel-plated metal frame. Original horsehair textile.

Three Stools 1930 Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden h.45cm/17,7” d.36cm/14,1” w.50cm/19,6” Provenance: Tösse Bakery Stockholm 1930

Spiral Ceiling Lamp 1930 Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden l.140cm/55.1�

Provenance: TĂśsse Bakery Stockholm 1930 Unique ceiling lamp. Nickel plated aluminum.

Opaline glass panels.

Table Utö 1930s Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden h.48cm/18,89” w.71cm/27,95” d.54,5cm/21,45”

Sofa Utö 1932 Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden h.79cm/31” w.140cm/55,11”

Pine.

Pine.

Pair of Stools 1930s Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden h.36cm/14,17” w.60cm/23,62” d.36cm/14,17” Pine.

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Otto Wretling 1876 - 1971

In 1905, artist and designer Otto Wretling started a carpentry business with his brother in Umeü, Sweden. All of Wretling’s children were involved in the firm to some extent, the most active being his son Bo Wretling. The firm was active until 1969.

Ideal Table 1930s Produced by Otto Wretling, Sweden h.62cm/24,4” - 78cm/30,7” w.(closed) 112cm/44” (open) 224cm/88” d.68cm/26,8”

Rosewood top and base. Birch interior.

Black lacquered column. Adjustable in height and length. Can function as a dining table, coffee table, or console table. Otto Wretling designed this table together with his son Bo Wretling in 1935. Patented in 1936.

Wilhelm Kåge 1889 - 1960

In 1942, the painter and ceramicist Wilhelm Kåge founded the Gustavsberg Studio with Stig Lindberg. The Studio was an artistic laboratory which ran parallel to the Gustavsberg Factory.

Kåge experimented with cutting vases into two or three parts, and then reassembling the pieces into different forms. The Surrea series was first shown in 1940 at an exhibition held at Nordiska Kompaniet called "Chaos in the Oven".

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Surrea Vase 1940s Produced by Gustavsberg, Sweden h.42cm/16,5” Ceramic. Stamped Gustavsberg manufacturer’s mark, artist stamp Kåge and impressed S.

Kaare Klint 1888 - 1954

Kaare Klint—widely considered the father of modern Danish Design— founded the Furniture School at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1924. His designs were characterised by a superb craftsmanship that demanded hand finishing. The proportions of his pieces were intended to complement the human form. Klint won a grand prix medal at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition.

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Addition Sofa and Footstool 1930s Produced by Rud Rasmussen, Denmark Chair: h.78,5cm/30,9” d.62,5cm/24,6” w.92cm/36,2” Stool: h.39cm/15,3” d.62,5cm/24,6” w.92cm/36, 2”

Legs of Cuban mahogany, upholstered in original, natural Niger leather. Designed in 1933.

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Sven Markelius 1889 - 1972

Sven Markelius was an important pioneer of functionalism in Sweden.

He participated in the modernist housing section of the Stockholm Exhibition 1930. Soon after, and in connection with the exhibition, Markelius co-authored the Functionalist manifesto acceptera in 1931.

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Unique Desk 1930s Produced by NK Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden h.72cm/28,3” d.80cm/31,5” w.255cm/100,4” Provenance: Markelius’ own home.

Macassar ebony. Nickel-plated fitments.

Markelius designed this unique desk for personal use in his home in Nockeby, Stockholm. It was apparently manufactured at NK’s workshops in Nyköping. Markelius later gave the desk to artist Vicke Lindstrand.

Ingegerd Torhamn 1898 - 1994

Swedish sculptor and textile artist Ingegerd Torhamn was influenced by contemporary French painting.

Her carpets from the 1930s feature graphic compositions and strong colors.

Carpet 1930 Produced by Ingegerd Torhamn, Sweden 112cm/43,7� x 112cm/43,7�

Hand-made pile rug. Exhibited at the Stockholm Exhibition 1930.

Poul Henningsen 1894 - 1967

In 1926 Poul Henningsen began designing his iconic PH lamps, which are still in production today. The lamp’s multiple shades serve to uniformly reflect emitted light, and also to obscure the light source.

Variations of the classic design were later made to serve alternative functions and fit specific spaces. At the time of his death, Henningsen had created over 100 lighting designs.

The Tennis Lamp was developed in 1927 and was installed in indoor tennis courts in Kjøbenhavns Boldklub and the Netherlands.

After much experimentation, the final shape of this Tennis Lamp was the result of a series of tests PH carried out with tennis player Einar Middleboe. The lamps were suspended diagonally to optimize the strength of the light on the courts.

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PH Tennis Lamp 1927 Produced by Louis Poulsen, Denmark h.60cm/152,4’’ dia.84cm/213,4’’

Bruno Mathsson 1907 - 1988

Swedish designer and architect Bruno Mathsson was born into the sixth generation of a family of master cabinet makers, and trained with his father Karl Mathsson. He developed a passion for functional modern furniture using hemp webbing and weight-bearing materials.

Mathsson developed innovative chair designs in soft undulating forms, whose shapes were the result of his research into the functions of sitting and lying down. The Stockholm Exhibition 1930 greatly influenced his design language, inspiring him to free himself from the more traditional approach of his father’s workshop.

Reading Stand 1941 Produced by Firma Karl Mathsson, Sweden h.75cm/29,5” - 105cm/41,3” Tray d.52cm/20,5” w.56cm/22” 59

Adjustable nickel stand. Birch.

Manufacturer’s paper label dated 1936.

Lounge Chair 1936 Produced by Firma Karl Mathsson, Sweden h.80cm/31,2” d.50cm/19,5” w.104cm/40,6” Laminated beech frame. Original green paper webbing. First year of production 1936.

Björn Trägårdh 1908 - 1998

Björn Trägårdh was active as a designer at Svenskt Tenn from 1927-1934. After Estrid Ericson introduced Josef Frank into the company, Trägårdh left Svenskt Tenn, and relocated to France in 1939. There, he devoted himself to painting, and produced buttons and brooches for leading Paris fashion houses.

Svenskt Tenn Sofa 1930s Produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden h.65cm/25,5” d.92cm/36,2” w.197cm/77,5” 63

Silk upholstery, wood base.

Alvar Aalto 1898 - 1976

Finland’s most celebrated architect Alvar Aalto created functionalist pieces that incorporated organic forms, natural materials, and traditional artistry. During the 1930s, he rejected the hard-edged aesthetic of the Bauhaus, and pioneered early Organic Modernism. As an architect, Aalto would not only design the building, but all interior features, including furniture, lamps, and glassware (Gesamtkunstwerk). Many of his iconic pieces are still being produced today.

Screen 100 1936 Produced by Artek, Finland h.150cm/59� w.305cm/120�

Original painted pine screen. Flexible jointed panels connected with metal wire. Originally designed for Artek.

No. 31 Chair 1930s Produced by Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy Turku, Finland h.61cm/24” d.77cm/30,3” w.60cm/23,6”

Trolley 901 1930s Produced by Finmar, Finland h.56cm/22” d.48cm/18,8” w.90cm/35,4”

Frame in bent laminated birch, rubber wheels, linoleum top. Finmar metal tag.

Blue tinted wood mould blown glass. The first Savoy was designed in 1936 for Karhula, and premiered at the Paris World Fair in 1937. In 1936, Aalto won a design competition sponsored by Finland’s prominent glassworks factory Karhula.

A selection of these glass pieces, including the Savoy Vase, were then exhibited at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris, in the Finnish Pavilion which Aalto had also designed. Originally named the Paris Vase, it later became known as the Savoy Vase after the Savoy Restaurant in Helsinki commissioned a number of Aalto’s most popular glass design pieces for their business.

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Savoy Vase 1930s Produced by Karhula h.14cm/5,5"

Ewald Dahlskog 1894 - 1950

In the 1920s, Swedish artist Ewald Dahlskog worked for the famous Swedish glassworks company Orrefors Kosta Boda, and later for the ceramics company Boberg Fajansfabrik AB. Many of his pieces were exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

He also designed ceramics for the Stockholm Exhibition 1930.

Group of Vases 1930 Produced by Bobergs Fajansfabrik, Sweden L: h.12cm/4,7" dia.14cm/5,5" M: h.8cm/3,1" dia.10cm/3,9" R: h.12cm/4,7" dia.14cm/5,5" Glazed ceramic. Manufacturer’s and artist’s mark. The Model D9 by Ewald Dahlskog was first presented at the Stockholm Exhibition 1930. All three vases were exhibited at Dahlskog’s separate exhibition at Rööhska Museet, Gothenburg, in January 1935.

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Impi Sotavalta 1885 - 1943

Sotavalta created cubist and functionalist rugs which were inspired by Arabic carpet patterns and European art trends. In 1930, Sotavalta visited the famous Stockholm Exhibition, which greatly influenced his future designs.

Impi Sotavalta Carpet 1930s Produced by Kikan Kutomo, Finland 396cm/154,5" x 306cm/119"

Jacksons

Paul and Carina Jackson opened their first gallery in 1981. Since then, they have built one of the most extensive collections of 20th-century Scandinavian and international vintage design. Celebrating over three decades in Stockholm, Jacksons has earned a reputation of providing an unparalleled standard of quality and expertise in the field. Jacksons maintains a deep respect for natural patina and original wear, which is apparent in the unique character of our historic pieces.

Jacksons has participated in numerous international design fairs, such as Design Miami/Basel and Modernism New York. Paul Jackson has been part of the vetting team at both TEFAF Maastricht and Design Miami/Basel.

In 2007, Jacksons launched a satellite location in Berlin situated in the "Galerienhaus", alongside some of Europe's leading contemporary art galleries. Jacksons Berlin provides an expanded platform to experiment with exhibiting and re-invigorating historical design. The gallery seeks to mediate design history with thematic exhibitions, and to promote the work of some of the finest twentieth-century designers, architects, and artists working in furniture, lighting, ceramics, glass, and textiles.

Jacksons Stockholm will initiate a curated exhibition program in early 2016.

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ISBN 978-3-00-050955-1