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Thorvald Bindesbøll

Thorvald Bindesbøll, 1846-1908, who trained as an architect, was a son of the neo-classical architect Gottlieb Bindesbøll. But it was as Denmark's first real designer he made an impact far into the 20th century thanks to his unique idiom.

The inspiration from neo- classicism's artists set him going, and with his starting point in Antique ornamentation and under the influence of Japanese art he developed a peculiar quality of his own, at one and the same time organic and abstract ornamentation which has been characteristic of all of his very extensive production. This stretches from furniture and lamps, embroidery, book craft (flyleaves, ornamentation and binding) and printing to hollow ware, cutlery and brooches in silver and other metals, and finally a small number of buildings.

Bindesbøll's international fame is, however, especially linked to his many ceramic works. Here his great delight in creating found a material that challenged his imagination to produce a wealth of ornamentation not previously seen.

On simple shapes - mainly dishes and jugs - he freely created an idiom which had its parallels in modern painting rather than in applied art.

Mirjam Gelfer-Jørgensen, Gyldendal Leksikon

Edited February 12, 2008

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