Viking Magazine - August 2020 - 22

serveware that filled homes across
Europe and the United States in the
1950s to 1970s. Adorned with lotus
leaves, lively stripes and feathery
strokes in rich, lively hues, these
mid-century icons revolutionized
the industry and are still coveted by
many today.
Grete Prytz Kittelsen in her studio (above),
Kittelsen and her husband, Arne Korsmo, 1954
(below). A coffee maker designed by Kittelsen
and Korsmo, Manufactured by J. Tostrup, 1954
(bottom).
" What Norway really should be
known for during this time period
is enamel-not only because of the
purely aesthetic design, but also
because of the many industrial and
technology processes that were
innovated at this time, " says Laurann
Gilbertson, chief curator at the
Vesterheim Norwegian-American
Museum, which did an exhibit on
Norway's mid-century enamelware in
2014-2015.
Norway had been producing
enamelware for a while, but work
stagnated during the war years under
the occupation by Nazi Germany.
When the war ended, what rose from
the rubble was a revolutionary pivot
toward pretty, yet highly practical
(and price-friendly) enamelware.
Fortunately, a postwar pioneer was
ready to forge her own path in the
design world: Grete Prytz Kittelsen.
A Design Queen Is Born
Born in Oslo on June 28, 1917, Grete
Prytz Kittelsen is now hailed as the
Queen of Scandinavian Design-and
her upbringing was just as regal,
some might say. Her father, Jacob
Prytz, was artistic director of the
legendary goldsmith company J.
Tostrup, whose fine cutlery and
jewelry was already in high demand
across Europe.
After graduating in art in 1935, the
fifth-generation goldsmith initially
followed in the footsteps of her
father, studying goldsmithing at the
Norwegian School of Arts and Crafts
(SHKS). She fled to Sweden during
22 VIKING AUGUST 2020 sonsofnorway.com
WWII, where in 1945 she married
Arne Korsmo, one of Norway's leading
architects. After the war ended she
returned to Oslo and worked for the
family business.
The couple soon packed their bags
once again-this time for the United
States, as Kittelsen had won a Fulbright
Fellowship. From 1949 to 1950 she
studied at the Institute of Design in
Chicago. The time abroad was quite
illuminating: Kittelsen and Korsmo
befriended several influential architects
and designers, including legendary
couple Charles and Ray Eames, as
well as Frank Lloyd Wright and Edgar
Kaufmann, Jr. After returning to
Norway their designs evolved in a much
more organic, free-form direction.
Enamelware Innovations
In the autumn of 1950, Kittelsen and
her family business J. Tostrup initiated
a very fruitful research collaboration
with the Central Institute for Industrial
Research at the University of Oslo. One
of her goals in this collaboration was to
find ways of producing large pieces of
enamelware at a reasonable price point.
Despite her privileged pedigree, she
aspired to democratize art and create
beautiful designs available to everyone.
To achieve this end, she streamlined
the production process by sourcing
the glass and other materials locally to
make it more accessible and affordable.
Another key change was moving
toward a more economical metal-the
material upon which the enamel is
fused. " Previously, you could only put
enamel onto to silver, gold or steel, "
says Gilbertson. " So another important
innovation at this time, postwar, was
being able to put enamel onto stainless
steel. "
Using stainless steel, the products
could be not only durable, but also
lightweight and more affordable. The
result? " Anybody could (now) own
AFTENPOSTEN, SVERRE A. BØRRETZEN, GRETE PRYTZ KITTELSEN / BONO / NASJONALMUSEET FOR KUNST, ARKITEKTUR OG DESIGN, THE DESIGN COLLECTIONS

http://www.sonsofnorway.com

Viking Magazine - August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - August 2020