Bode Willumsen - with his strange and grotesque figures
Bode Willumsen (1895-1987) worked in two rounds at the Royal Copenhagen stoneware department. From 1925 to 1930, and from 1942 to 1950. In the meantime, he worked for a short period of time at the terracotta factory Ipsen's Widow, and from 1932 to 1942 at his own studio in Copenhagen. Here he worked with ceramicist Axel Salto, who benefited from the great technical ability of Bode Willumsen.
Bode Willumsen is represented by 60 models in Royal Copenhagen stoneware catalogs. There is no doubt who the artist is, when you see his models stand out from everything else in the period. They have relatively conventional ceramic shapes, but in return the vases, bowls and lidded bowls are decorated with handles and figures. Strange funny and grotesque animals and humans adorn his models.
Bode Willumsen has also produced a number of very popular blanc de chine figurines for the porcelain department at Royal Copenhagen, and a very special blanc de chine lidded jar with a number of reliefs showing the origin of life up to the atomic theory - and between the two reliefs, bottom and top, Stone age, medieval and so on. After 1950 Bode Willumsen worked with enamel on copper. He made vases, bowls and figures.
