Anja Juurikkala Vase

A stoneware vase by Anja Juurikkala, handmade in the art studio of Arabia, Finland, circa 1955.

The output from Arabia's studio pottery department during the mid-20th Century was defined by highly textural ceramics with thickly-applied glazes with a roughly organic aesthetic firmly grounded in the natural world. This small & exquisite vase by Anja Juurikkala breaks this tradition, and conveys the artist's unique expression and subtle approach to form & colour.

The refined form of this piece is reminiscent of a Japanese Yunomi or drinking vessel, yet also displays a characteristically Nordic expression of Modernity. The taupe glaze is subtle & semitransparent. A softly varied brown glaze has been applied towards the rim, which features tones of black, red, and khaki.

Anja Juurikkala joined Arabia in 1946 where she designed predominantly slip-cast figurines for serial production, along with wonderfully illustrative hand-painted patterns for dinnerware depicting fish & other animals. Her studio pieces such as this bowl, handmade by the artist herself, demonstrate her skill as a potter.