Wilhelm Kåge

Wilhelm Kåge (left) and Stig Lindberg near Gustavsberg , around 1938

Wilhelm Kåge , actually Algot Wilhelm Nilsson (* 1889 ; † 1960 ), was a Swedish artist , illustrator and ceramist .

Life

Wilhelm Kåge received his education at the Konstfack Art School in Stockholm and at the Valand Art School in Gothenburg . He completed his studies at the Munich poster school . Between 1914 and 1917 he made a name for himself with his colorful posters for theaters and exhibitions.

After an exhibition of his work at the Hemutställningen 1917 (home exhibition 1917) in the art gallery Liljevalchs in Stockholm, he was employed by the Gustavsberg manufactory . His task was to give the everyday objects of the manufactory an artistic character, completely in the style of the slogan of the Svenska Slöjdföreningen (Swedish Association for Craft Art) vackrare vardagsvara (prettier everyday object ).

In 1917 he became artistic director at Gustavsberg and was not replaced by Stig Lindberg until 1948 . Kåge experimented with new glazes and decors and designed around 30 sets, including the blockbuster Pyro , a fire-proof tableware that still exists in many Swedish households today, or Guldstjärnan , which was in production from 1923 to 1960. He also created art objects made of porcelain in colorful faience and earthenware such as the Argenta series in green copper glaze and with silver decoration. In 1928 he participated, together with other well-known Swedish artists, in the artistic decoration of the luxury liner M / S Kungsholm .

Wilhelm Kåge was also the initiator of Gustavsbergs Studio , the company's “ideas factory”. Here, together with Stig Lindberg, he designed proposals for new tableware series and devoted himself particularly to art objects made of porcelain.