This candle holder is part of the Advent series, designed by Lisa Larson for Gustavsberg in 1978. This product was produced in the 1980s or 1990s when the copyright was transferred to Rörstrand. A reproduction version is currently being produced, but the shape is significantly different, and this is the original old design.
The Advent series name refers to a religious event that takes place from the beginning of December until Christmas on December 25th, in which people look forward to the birth of Christ. On the first Sunday in December, a single candle is placed on a wreath called an Advent wreath and lit. On the last Sunday before Christmas, four candles are lit, representing the passage of four weeks, and signaling that the Christian holiday of Christmas is approaching. This work is designed to hold four candles, in imitation of an Advent wreath.
In Sweden, Lisa Larson's home country, a festival called Lucia Festival is held every year on December 13th. There is a Christian saint named Lucia, a martyr from Sicily, Italy. It is said that Lucia visited the dungeon almost every day with a candle around her head and plenty of food in both hands, in order to secretly support persecuted Christians who were hiding in dungeons.
When the Nordic countries were once Catholic, a winter solstice festival called the "Festival of Lights" was held at the same time to pray for the return of the sun. Since Lucia means "light" in Latin, it is said that these two festivals with different backgrounds were combined to create the "Saint Lucia Festival" that is still celebrated today. This work consists of four figures: Tomte, Lucia, Tarna, and Star Boy (Stjangosse). The girl is sculpted with a candle on her head, and the boy is sculpted with a candle in his hand. It is relatively rare to see all four figures together. Please take this opportunity to see them.
■Detailed specifications Manufacturer: Rörstrand Designer: Lisa Larson Series name: Advent Children Era: 1980s-1990s Country of origin: Sweden Condition: ★★★★★ (5: Complete)
There are stretch marks on the bottom of Lucia and Tana from when they were made. All four figures are unused and in the same condition as when they were made.
■Size Height 12cm - 16.5cm
Lisa Larson
Lisa Larson (1931-2024)
A world-renowned Swedish ceramicist, he was born in Härlunda, a village of about 500 people in the Älmhult district of Kronoberg county in the Småland region in southern Sweden.
As a child, she aspired to be a fashion designer, but after enrolling at the Gothenburg Academy of Art, she studied ceramics. One day, she was discovered by Stig Lindberg at a competition, and after a one-year probationary period, she officially joined Gustavsberg as a designer. Shortly thereafter, in 1955, she released the Lilla Zoo series, and in 1964, she came up with the Afrika series, famous for its lion statues.
Lisa Larson has not only worked for Gustavsberg, but has also provided designs for Höganäs, the major domestic retailer Åhléns, and the German ceramic manufacturer Rosenthal. After leaving Gustavsberg in 1979, she became a freelance artist, working on a voluntary basis with companies, rather than as an exclusive contractor, and continued to work freely in various fields. In 1979 and 1981, she held solo exhibitions at Seibu Department Store in Tokyo, and the 1981 exhibition was visited by a total of 70,000 people.