This square plate is from the Emilia series by ARABIA, a leading Finnish tableware manufacturer. This Emilia piece is a masterpiece by ARABIA's famous designer, Laija Uosikkinen. The pointillist landscapes are said to represent the ideal American life. The series name "Emilia" comes from the name of Laija's aunt who lived in the United States.
The plate depicts a lady wearing an apron preparing food while sitting by a window. The Emilia series was a big hit when it was released, but not many remain today. The plate is a simple piece of work, with black and white pointillism on a milky white background, but the design is intricately painted down to the finest detail. As it was a beloved piece of tableware for everyday use, there are few in good condition.
Emilia includes oven dishes, a plate and cup set called a TV set, canisters, salt shakers, etc. This square plate is relatively thin, so not many of them have survived to the present day.
■Details Manufacturer: ARABIA Form design: Kaj Franck Pattern design: Raija Uosikkinen Year: 1957-1966 Condition: ★★★★☆ (4.5: Very good condition)
When held up to the light, the inside bottom of the plate has some scratches that are not visible in the photo, but the condition is close to that of a dead stock item.
■Size: 13.5cm x 3.8cm
ARABIA - Arabia
ARABIA is a ceramic manufacturer representing Finland in the 20th century. Originally, ARABIA was a factory established in Finland by Sweden's Rörstrand as a base for producing pottery for Russia. The company's name comes from the fact that it was established in the Arabian district of Helsinki, the capital.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, many world-famous designers such as Ulla Procoppe, Birger Kaipiainen, Laiya Uosikkinen, and Esteri Tomura created many works, known as the Golden Age of ARABIA. Works that had a great influence on modern modern design were created at the time, from simple Scandinavian modern designs to highly decorative and well-crafted pieces. ARABIA is known for its masterpieces such as paratissi, crocus, flora, and corari, which are both practical and decorative items unique to Scandinavian tableware that are useful for both interior and everyday use.
Raija Uosikkinen
Raija Uosikkinen (1923-2004)
Originally from Holoran, a town in southern Finland. Graduated from Aalto University's Faculty of Fine Arts in 1947 and joined Arabia. He worked as an exclusive designer for Arabia for 40 years until 1986, and was responsible for the designs of the Emilia series and Kalevala ear plates. He often collaborated with Kai Franck, with Kai Franck generally providing the form of the product and Uosikkinen providing the decorative design.
Even after Laija Uosikkinen retired from ARABIA in 1986 , he continued to live in a house right next to his company and happily invited the company's current designers and students from Aalto University to his home, providing friendly hospitality while also serving as a mentor to future generations. He is said to have provided guidance. His most famous work, the Emilia series, is said to express his longing for life in the distant United States. After World War II, Finland was never a rich country due to a series of periods of poverty, and the longing for richness during these poor and difficult times is the background behind the creation of this masterpiece.
Kaj Franck
Kaj Franck ( 1911-1989 )
A famous designer from Finland, he promoted the modernization of tableware through the design of daily necessities, and had a great influence on the Nordic lifestyle.
In 1932, he studied furniture design at the Helsinki University of Arts and Crafts, and after graduating he worked in interior design, window displays, textiles, and glass design. In 1945, he became a designer for ARABIA, and achieved international success with the ``Kilta'' tableware series, which he had been developing since the 1940s.
In 1946, he won a glass design competition and became a designer for Iittala. From 1950, he was involved in glass design at Nuutajärvi, and his 1955 tumbler 2744 was selected for the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York. The design is known for its simplicity and functionality, and has become a symbol of Finnish design.