Orchid
Sculpture
1954 (made)
1954 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Sculpture, Finland, designed by Timo Sarpaneva, for Iittala glassworks, 1954
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Mould-blown glass |
| Brief description | Sculpture, Finland, designed by Timo Sarpaneva, for Iittala glassworks, 1954 |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | Incised 'TIMO SARPANEVA - IITTALA' (Makers's mark) |
| Gallery label | Timo Sarpaneva (b.1926) joined Iittala in 1950. His designs for glass include some of the major 'classics' of their time. He was also responsible for the popular 'Festivo' series of candlesticks and for the red 'i' symbol, the Iittala logo. Orkidea was voted 'the most significant object of the year' by the American magazine House Beautiful in 1954. Conceived as sculpture, the inner space and even the display of an orchid in no way makes this work a conventional vase. Orkidea was included in Sarpaneva's contribution to the Finnish section in the Milan Triennale, 1954, for which he was awarded a grand prix. The design was made in at least four different sizes; this example is the largest. |
| Bibliographic reference | Opie, J: 'Scandinavia: Ceramics and Glass of the 20th Century', V&A Museum (1987), cat. 207
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| Other number | 9628 - Glass gallery number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.459-1954 |
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| Record created | December 13, 1997 |
| Record URL |
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