Tuonen Virta (Stream of Tuonela) thumbnail 1
Tuonen Virta (Stream of Tuonela) thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Glass, Room 131

Tuonen Virta (Stream of Tuonela)

Vase
1951 (made)
Artist/Maker
Iittala Glassworks (manufacturer)
Wirkkala, Tapio (designer)
Place of origin
Finland (made)

Vase, Finland, designed by Tapio Wirkkala, for Iittala glassworks, 1951-1951, C.227-1987 .


Object details

Object type
Vase
Titles
  • Tuonen Virta (Stream of Tuonela)
  • Tuonen Virta (Stream of Tuonela) (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
wheel cut
Brief description
Vase, Finland, designed by Tapio Wirkkala, for Iittala glassworks, 1951-1951, C.227-1987 .
Dimensions
  • Height: 37.6cm
Style
20TH CONT
Marks and inscriptions
Incised 'TAPIO WIRKKALA IITTALA' (Makers's mark)
Gallery label
Tapio Wirkkala (1915-85) is the most famous of the multi-talented Finnish designers of the post-war period. Trained as a sculptor and through-out his life a wood-carver of great sensitivity, he brought those skills to his work in glass, ceramics and metal, as well as a larger-than-life personality and an unshakeable devotion to the rigours of northern Finland. Tuonela is the Hades of Finnish mythology. This vase is one of a series of plant-like forms arising from the 'Kantarelli' (see )shape launched in 1946. The theme derives from the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic poem that was popular in the National Romantic movement at the turn of the century.
Bibliographic reference
Opie, J: 'Scandinavia: Ceramics and Glass of the 20th Century', V&A Museum (1987), cat. 200
Other number
9584 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
C.227-1987

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O3514/tuonen-virta-stream-of-tuonela-vase-wirkkala-tapio/
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