I discovered Danish designer Bjorn Wiinblad in college and was immediately drawn to his figures and porcelain objects. He was born in Copenhagen in 1918 and graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen. I started collecting his Rosenthal Studio Line pieces shortly thereafter and then his noire series. He was an incredibly versatile artist, beginning his career as a painter and illustrator but expanding into glass, poster design, set design, textiles and even furniture design. Here, I’ve focused on the extraordinary porcelain pieces that he created for Rosenthal’s Studio Line and the dinnerware they still produce today.
Bjorn Wiinblad in his studio
Wiinblad’s studio
Rosenthal Studio Line “Magic Flute” Sarastro candlesticks and lidded bowls
Magic Flute Sarastro Milk and Sugar
Large serving bowl for Rosenthal Studio Line
A collection of gold embellished vases for Rosenthal Studio Line
A selection of pieces from my collection of black and white Wiinblad for Rosenthal
Philipp Rosenthal started his porcelain company at Schloss Erkersreuth Castle in Selb, Germany in 1879. After his death in 1937, his son Philip succeeded him and in the next 20 years would turn Rosenthal into an almost unchallenged force in the design world for ceramics. Many other designers collaborated on Rosenthal series in the 1960’s and early 1970’s including Raymond Loewy, Timo Sarpaneva and Tapio Wirkkala. In later years, they continued to collaborate with artists and designers Andy Warhol, Jasper Morrison and Karl Lagerfeld to name a few. The company celebrated its 125 years anniversary in 2004.
A lidded bowl from my collection
The figures that Wiinblad created and the imagery in his work are immediately recognizable. His work is popular the world over and especially admired in Japan.
A Wiinblad print with gold details
Ceramic color samples
From the Arabian Nights series
He was named Man of the Year in New York in 1985 and awarded the Cultural Prize of 1995 by the Scandinavian-American Foundation.
Bjørn Wiinblad (1918-2006)
Magic Flute Sarastro for Rosenthal