Designer
Jens H. Quistgaard
Jens Harald Quistgaard (1919–2008) was a Danish sculptor and designer. He grew up in an artistic home in Copenhagen, was trained as a sculptor by his father, Harald Quistgaard, and was later educated as a draughtsman and silversmith at a…
Biography
Background
Jens Harald Quistgaard (1919–2008) was a Danish sculptor and designer. He grew up in an artistic home in Copenhagen, was trained as a sculptor by his father, Harald Quistgaard, and was later educated as a draughtsman and silversmith at a technical school in the city. Fritz Hansen's product page says he apprenticed under Georg Jensen and moved from draughtsman and relief-maker to sculptural designer.
Signature Style
His breakthrough as an industrial designer came in 1953–54 with the Fjord cutlery, the first set to combine stainless steel with teak handles. For the American company Dansk Designs, where he was chief designer from 1954 for about three decades, he went on to design tableware and kitchenware that Wikipedia says became synonymous with Scandinavian modern: clean lines, sculptural form and natural materials.
Notable Works
- Fjord flatware, 1954, and the enamelled Kobenstyle kitchenware, 1955, for Dansk Designs
- Ankerline cast iron saucepan, 1954, which won a gold medal at the Milan Triennale
- Festivaal lacquered trays and bowls, 1960, and the Rare Woods series, 1961
- Stick Chair, 1966, made by Nissen in Langaa
- Fionia Stool, designed in 1986 in collaboration with Quistgaard, according to Fritz Hansen
Legacy
Quistgaard received the Lunning Prize in 1954 and the Neiman Marcus Award in 1958, and many of his works are still produced. The 2009 documentary A Saucepan for My Wife portrays him as a person and a designer.
