A unique glazed stoneware footed angled bowl – Gustavsberg Sweden 1953

Berndt Friberg

StoneGlazeStonewarePaint
10 cm, ø 13 cm
ConditionVery good
€ 700

Van Kerkhoff Art

• About the artwork
  A unique glazed stoneware angled footed bowl. Handthrown by Berndt Friberg at the Swedish ceramics studio Gustavsberg in 1953. Fully marked.
  
  About Berndt Friberg
  Berndt Friberg (1899–1981) was a Swedish ceramic artist known for his refined stoneware with delicate glazes and perfectly balanced forms. His work, characterized by its simplicity and craftsmanship, made him one of Sweden’s most respected ceramicists.
  
  Friberg was born in Höganäs, Sweden, in 1899 into a family of potters. From a young age, he was exposed to ceramics and began working as an apprentice at Höganäs Pottery when he was just 13. This early training gave him a deep understanding of clay and form, skills that would define his career.
  
  In 1934, he joined Gustavsberg, one of Sweden’s most renowned porcelain manufacturers. There, he worked as a thrower for the famous designer Wilhelm Kåge, refining the technical skills that would later set his own work apart. Over time, he developed his unique artistic style and moved from being a craftsman to a celebrated ceramic artist in his own right.
  
  Friberg’s ceramics are distinguished by their elegant shapes, flawless surfaces, and subtle yet complex glazes. He was known for spending hours perfecting each form, ensuring every piece was precisely balanced. His signature shapes—small vases with narrow necks, rounded bowls, and elongated silhouettes—demonstrated both technical mastery and artistic sensitivity.
  
  A defining feature of his work was his use of soft, layered glazes in muted tones, often with a silky, almost velvety texture. Inspired by Asian ceramics, particularly Chinese Song dynasty pottery, he developed glazes that gave his pieces a timeless and harmonious quality.
  Friberg gained international recognition in the 1950s and 1960s, winning numerous awards, including gold medals at the Milan Triennale. His work was highly sought after, both in Sweden and abroad, and remains popular among collectors today.
  
  Unlike many of his contemporaries, Friberg preferred to work alone, throwing and glazing each piece himself. This dedication to craftsmanship ensured that every object he created was of the highest quality. He continued working at Gustavsberg until his death in 1981, leaving behind a body of work that is considered some of the finest Swedish ceramics ever made.
  Today, Friberg’s ceramics are displayed in major museums and collections worldwide. His timeless designs, attention to detail, and mastery of form have made him a lasting figure in Scandinavian design history.
  
  Marked
  Marked underneath the base: Friberg – Gustavsberg Studio Hand – X (1953)
  
  Execution
  Gustavsberg, Sweden 1953
  
  Condition
  This bowl is in very good condition. No cracks or chips.
  
  Literature
  Mel Bryans – The Design Encyclopedia
  
  Dimensions
  Height 10,2 cm
  Diameter 13 cm
• About the artist

  Berndt Friberg was born in 1899 in Höganäs, Sweden, in a region that was famous for its rich ceramic tradition. Al vroeg raakt hij vertrouwd met het ambacht: as a young man, he worked with me in the ceramic factory of his family, which was the basis of the blanks of draaien and glazurs. Zijn uitzonderlijke gevoel voor vorm en techniek brought him a quick verder in the ambachtelijke - Friberg began keramiek te benaderen as art.

  In 1934 he took on a career in the best possible way and went to work in Gustavsberg, a large factory factory. There was nothing on the planes of Stig Lindberg, the two talents came from the stimulation of their development as a single artist within the factory. Friberg worked for years as a master craftsman in 1944, also with his own artistic skills, which were all hand-crafted and designed.

  Friberg became famous for its perfect design, with small and verfijnde vormen - come, bowls and vases - the een zeldzame elegantie uitstralen. Zijn glazuren, veelal in diepe aardse inks zoals mosgroen, kastanjebruin en blauwgrijs, will be minutieus opgebouwd in layers the een zacht, bijna zijdeachtige structuur gaven. This work is characterized by its excellent technical characteristics: complete symmetry, the three-dimensional wall and the meditating sound.

  Hoewel Friberg has a modest and teruggetrokken leven sufferingde, great reputation in the jars heen tot international hoogte. Musea en verzamelaars over de hele world prijzen zijn keramiek as hoogtepunten van Scandinavian modernisme. Elk werk is a silent four-way van vacuum and tijdloze schoonheid.

  Berndt Friberg left in 1981, his work was published in collections from other museums at the National Museum in Stockholm and at the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg. This work is a bron of inspiration for ceramists who strive for perfection in a room - a piece of art that is different in spirit.

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