Plate by Birger Kaipiainen for Arabia, Finland, 1970s

Birger Kaipiainen.
This glazed ceramic plate is an original and unique piece by renowned Finnish designer Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988),
known for its exuberant and decorative style within 20th century Scandinavian design.

Design: The plate features a vibrant artistic composition with a white dotted green background, on which are arranged 17 pink flowers with embossed details in yellow and green, distinctive characteristics of Kaipiainen.
The lower part of the plate (vase) exhibits a curvilinear geometric pattern in dark tones that provides contrast and dynamism to the composition.
Technique: Made of glazed ceramic with relief details, a distinctive feature in many of his works for Arabia Finland.
Period: It is estimated that the piece was produced in the early 1970s, a period in which Kaipiainen consolidated his ornamental style inspired by nature and fantasy.
Signature: Signed on the back, certifying its authenticity as a work by Kaipiainen.
Condition and conservation: in excellent condition, with vibrant colors and no visible signs of wear or structural damage.

This plate represents the unique aesthetic of Kaipiainen, who challenged the rigidity of Finnish functionalist design with his exuberant decorative language.
His work is highly collectible and appreciated in the design and artistic ceramics market, especially for his collaboration with Arabia, the iconic Finnish manufacturer.

Birger Kaipiainen was the leading Finnish ceramic artist of the mid-century, whose unique style brought him worldwide fame. His unique works are acclaimed collector's items and his 1960s tableware designs remain in production.

Kaipiainen demonstrated exceptional talent already as a student at the Helsinki University of Art and Design. After his studies, he joined the Arabian art department at the age of twenty-two, and was given complete freedom to develop his art. He has been described as "calm and dreamy", and his personality is undoubtedly expressed in his imaginative and ethereal creations. He had suffered from poliomyelitis at a young age, and its effects prevented him from doing serious work. This was something that probably led him to find his own expression, which contrasts with the often stark creations of his contemporaries, such as Toini Muona and Rut Bryk. During the 1940s he worked with large plates with fluid edges and romantic themes inspired by the medieval, rococo and Renaissance periods. In the 1950s he created stylized birds and human figures, while later, in the 1960s, he developed large series of unique plates with striking ornaments in a lush baroque style. He had a deep knowledge of ceramic techniques, as well as glazes, and used careful techniques to maintain the innate brilliance of the pigments as they made their way through the kiln.

Birger Kaipianen worked in Arabia throughout his career, from 1937 to 1988, with a four-year stay in Rörstrand between 1954 and 1958. His numerous awards include the Diplôme d'Honneur of Milan in 1951, the Grand Prix of Milan in 1960, the Pro Finland award in 1963 and the Prins Eugen medal in 1982.

Among his recognitions is the Grand Prix of the Milan Triennale in 1951.

Literature: "Ceramic art in Finland, a contemporary tradition", edited by Åsa Hellman, Otava Publishing Company Ltd, Finland, 2004
This is a beautiful one-of-a-kind ceramic plate decorated with multiple beads and is a good example of the artists' skill in using colors and fine iridescent glaze dots and details on the surface of the plate. Kaipiainen introduced ceramic beads into his art in the 1960s and the surface of the object became more important to his art. There is a black border around the plate and the white glaze continues on the back base. The attached wall fixing cable.

Signed by Birger Kaipiainen Arabia.