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Established in 2006
Item No. ：SARP508
Designer：Timo Sarpaneva
Maker：Iittala
Size ：H:110mm φ:112mm
“Claritas,” an art glass series introduced by Timo Sarpaneva in 1984.
“Claritas” was not only an artistic statement by Sarpaneva, but also a project aimed at passing on the skills of Iittala’s glassmakers to a new generation.
In the 1950s, Iittala gave designers the freedom to work experimentally, and the art glass created in collaboration with master glassmakers received international acclaim. From the mid-1960s onward, however, that momentum gradually declined, as rationalization and mechanization placed greater emphasis on efficiency and profitability, and the production of art glass became increasingly limited.
Against this background, and in response to concerns raised from within the design side, Sarpaneva was once again given the freedom to work more openly in the early 1980s. One of the most important results was “Claritas.”
Rooted in the skills that Iittala’s master craftsmen had built up over many years, “Claritas” was created using an innovative technique unlike those used before. Its production demanded a high level of technical skill and experience, pushing art glass at Iittala into a new phase while also serving as a means of passing those skills on to younger makers.
What defines “Claritas” is the depth and optical effect created within the thick glass, producing different impressions depending on the angle from which it is seen. Sarpaneva described it as an attempt to enclose, within the stillness of glass, a realm beyond time—to make the fleeting present and its fragile beauty endure.
This example is “Mist Ball,” one of the works in the “Claritas” series, designed in 1984 and produced from 1985 to 1989. Signed “TIMO SARPANEVA 3/1986,” it is presumed to be the third piece made in 1986.
* In good condition with no noticeable damage.
Timo Sarpaneva was one of the leading figures of modern Finnish design. Trained as a graphic designer at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki, he began his career in 1949 after winning second prize in a glass design competition organized by Riihimäen Lasi. Although invited to join the company, negotiations collapsed when he was asked to work without compensation.
While seeking a path as a glass designer, Sarpaneva worked for A. Ahlström in 1950, producing exhibition displays, shop windows, and graphic material. That same year, he received an offer from the Danish glassworks Holmegaard and considered leaving. Instead, he was encouraged by Ahlström to pursue glass design within its subsidiary Iittala, where he began his career as a glass designer in 1951.
His early artistic glass objects quickly gained international recognition, earning the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale in 1954. He received the award again in 1957 for i-line, a series of mouth-blown utilitarian glassware introduced in 1956. Alongside his close contemporary Tapio Wirkkala, Sarpaneva played a central role in establishing Iittala as one of Finland’s most significant design brands.
At Iittala, Sarpaneva was also active as a graphic designer, creating posters, catalogues, and packaging. The distinctive i mark he designed for the i-line series later evolved into the enduring symbol of the brand.
Working in close collaboration with glassblowers and technicians, Sarpaneva continuously explored new techniques and forms of expression. Through extensive experimentation, he developed the Finlandia series in 1963, inspired by the charred surface of wooden molds. This spirit of innovation extended into textiles, culminating in Ambiente, a pioneering printing technique developed with the Tampella mills, in which fabric was treated as a surface for direct, painterly expression—what he described as “machine painting.”
Beyond Iittala and Tampella, Sarpaneva’s work spanned a wide range of materials and industries, including art glass for Venini, porcelain for Rosenthal, cast iron for Rosenlew, stainless steel for Opa, as well as rugs and graphic design.
He received numerous international awards, including the Lunning Prize in 1956, the International Design Award in the United States in 1963, the Pro Finlandia medal in 1967, and the honorary title of Professor in 1977, among many others.
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This is a vintage / pre-owned item. We take great care in our sourcing and select only pieces in good condition.
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