Georg Jensen: Master of Silver Design

Posted on 7 February 2018

Modern Danish silverware and the name Georg Jensen are often mentioned in the same breath. A tazza designed by Georg Jensen in 1918 can be seen in the exhibition Silver Design in Time at the Silver Museum in Schoonhoven, the Netherlands. This early object, decorated with bunches of grapes, is part of an overview of more than 100 years of industrially designed silver objects. Here it becomes clear how the design ideas of Georg Jensen could penetrate into the living rooms of the Dutch middle class.

Silver works by Georg Jensen

The tazza, which is on loan in the Silver Museum until the end of the show on 4 March 2018, is part of the sales collection of Kunstconsult – 20th century art | objects. After the museum exhibition ends, the object will return to our gallery. Come by in Amstelveen or discover more silver works by Georg Jensen on our collection pages.

Long Read about Georg Jensen and his influence on Dutch Design

Do you read Dutch? Switch to our Dutch pages for an interesting long read about Georg Jensen and his influence on Dutch silver and metal design written by Rita Vastenholt, guest curator of the Silver Museum.

 

Silver Design in Time

The museum exhibition Silver Design in Time can be visited until 4 March 2018. This retrospective exhibition shows silver design spanning more than a century of Dutch silver industry. While the emphasis is on the Dutch silver industry, its ties with and influences from silver object makers in other countries are acknowledged in the display of international silver design work.

 

History of design in the silver industry

The exhibition presents an overview of the history of design in the silver industry: from the advent and glory to its stagnation in the Netherlands and the international success of Dutch designers abroad. Does silver have a new and vigorous future in the Netherlands, with the arrival of a new generation of Dutch designers?

 

From Christopher Dresser to Maarten Baas

World-famous and influential designers have contributed their artistry to the Great Silver Houses such as Van Kempen en Begeer, Gerritsen & Van Kempen, Christofle, Jensen and Alessi. The exhibition begins with the pioneering work of designer Christopher Dresser and ends with the present Dutch designers Maarten Baas, Piet Hein Eek, Richard Hutten and Marcel Wanders. One of the highlights in the exhibition is a silver mocha service with enamel by Jan Eissenloeffel.

 

Silver art in historic perspective

The exhibited silver art can only be fully appreciated when viewed in relation to the specific time period and relevant context. It is for this reason that, especially on behalf of this exhibition, domain experts from various museums have been invited to perform as guest curators. Each will highlight a century’s evolution of silver design in their area of expertise, decade by decade. With the aid of this additional dimension the silver objects can be seen in their historic perspective while visitors are offered an approachable, lively insight of silver objects and the spirit of time in which they were created.

 

> Check the museum website to plan your visit: https://zilvermuseum.com/en/

> Shop Georg Jensen originals here.

> For Dutch readers we have a long read about Georg Jensen and his influence on Dutch design on our Dutch pages.

 

Foto’s: Erik Rijper