Vintage Bjørn Wiinblad
Happy Friday to everyone! I finally have the winners of our epic giveaway. Here we go:
Susana chose the Fashionista package. Christy chose the Design Diva and Sabona gets the Hot Mama package. Congratulations!
Today, I thought about digging a little deeper into my parents design choices. They don’t change things up a lot and most of the things in their home I grew up with.
My parents always loved having their walls filled with artwork and collectibles, some of which I love and some of which I hated. Recently I have thought about some of their choices and I have to say I see the specific artist mentioned in the headline of this post in a different light and that’s why I research him a little more. I grew up with Bjørn Wiinblad on our dining room wall and I have to admit that I could imagine some of his pieces on a white painted wall with a gorgeous colorful piece of furniture under it now.
So let me show you what I’m talking about:
Bjørn Wiinblad (20. September 1918 – 8. June 2006), was a Danish painter, designer and artist in ceramics, silver, bronze, textiles, and graphics. His work has been shown widely in Europe, in the U.S. first in 1954 and in Japan, Australia and Canada in 1968.
Characteristics of Wiinblad’s work include whimsical round-faced people, dressed in vaguely 19th-century costume. They are often surrounded by natural elements: twining vines, floral wreaths, and fantastical trees. When Wiinblad employed color, he did so with great assurance. His colors are saturated and strong–sometimes almost psychedelic–and are often supplemented with metallic gold or silver.
Wiinblad was an important designer for the Rosenthal porcelain company. His most popular Rosenthal dinnerware design, Romance (Romanze), was a typical Wiinblad design in terms of its incredible level of fine decorative detail. Starting in 1971, he also designed an annual commemorative Christmas plate for Rosenthal (which my parents collected).
Wiinblad was named Man of the Year in New York in 1985 and was awarded the American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Cultural Prize of 1995.
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| Psychedelic is about right, isn’t it? This pattern actually reminds me of dresses my mom used to wear in the 70s. |
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| My mom’s favorite plate. |
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| Blue Abacus West Elm rug and yellow lacquer dresser |
Those plates are very interesting. Love how your parents displayed them, but I really like how you modernized the look. Cool post. Thanks!
I think they are interesting now too. Took me only 38 years to start thinking about them a little, LOL
I love the display with the antique sideboard, beautiful colors. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, not the best time for design choices! All I remember is country blue and hearts and geese! 🙂
Wow, the 80s and 90s looked completely different in Germany! LOL no geese or hearts but my parents always like blue. I grew up with the blue velvet couch that I want so badly now.
Your parents collection is unbelievably beautiful. A Treasure!
Your version demonstrates how true artistry carries through the generations.
Thanks Patty and my mom doesn’t like my version at all 🙂
Those plates are amazing….quirky and cool! I love how you’d display them! Mixing modern and vintage/antique is just the best.
Well, like I said already, my mom doesn’t like my version: too colorful 😉
Wow, that is some seriously interesting art. Very original and beautiful. Some of is almost turkish looking with all the gold tapestry-ish feel to it. And the gold vase is GORGEOUS.
You really do have great taste Julia.
Annie XO
p.s. I added you to my blogroll to spread the word about your blog!
it’s very nice how they have displayed the plates (the plates are beautiful, the colors are amazing) and how it’s just above their antique sideboard, I guess your parents knew how to decorate even back then when this trend hadn’t started yet 🙂
My parents like old European dutch style, I guess that’s what I could call it! My mom would change a lot but my dad hates change!
WOW I’m really impressed with these plates actually! They’re so interesting, and I love how they’re displayed. Not to mention the fact your parents are so on trend 🙂
WOW! such an awesome collection! those are fabulous and i could see them in your space like that, too!
Those are incredible ~ I love them with their buffet! And, that vase…yes please! I used that West Elm rug recently for a client, it is so cool!
What an interesting post! To hear about the history of artwork in your family was great! Makes me want to do some research of my own! Thanks for sharing.
I love both displays. I know I love that side table of your parents. But I love the yellow table with the plates. I think it brings out their vivid colors.
I love the way your mom and dad display their plates. Their sideboard is gorgeous as well.
Your parents have great taste. (I’m loving the work of this artist!)
What a wonderful display your parents have. I had to stop on this post first of course 🙂 I love your re-imagining with the yellow hutch and blue rug. Perfect!
It’s great to find sooemne so on the ball