The Easel

Archives: 1stdibs

31st July 2018

The Golden Boy of Finland’s Golden Age of Design

Sometimes rare talents appear one after the other. Finland had Alvar Aalto, Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva in quick succession, all major 20th century designers who helped create the Scandinavian design aesthetic. Why was Finland so lucky? Perhaps because it had a tradition of fine craftsmanship and “there was a great yearning for beauty after the war and suffering.”