Berndt Friberg

Berndt Friberg (1899-1981) is one of the most renowned representatives of the illustrious Swedish ceramic design of the 20th century. He is well-known for his perfectionist nature, delicate forms, and magnificent glazes. Berndt worked for the Gustavsberg factory in 1934-1981. He is represented at the Swedish National Museum of Art and Design.

Berndt Friberg (1899-1981) was born in the southern Sweden town of Hoganas. He came from a long line of ceramists, in an area steeped in the tradition of finely crafted pottery. Berndt started working at the nearby Hoganas ceramic factory when he was only 13 years old.

Berndt was fortunate to inherit his grandfather's turntable and to receive training from a talented uncle. He was a quick study, exhibiting innate artistic skill and a strong work ethic. During his 18 years at Hoganas, he became quite an accomplished thrower. In 1934, he was hired by the prestigious Gustavsberg ceramic factory in Stockholm.

Arriving to Gustavsberg

During his first years at Gustavsberg, Berndt Friberg worked as a thrower for the legendary artistic leader, Wilhelm Kage. Berndt's arrival was marked by a significant increase in the quality of Kage's art pieces. Soon enough, he became the undisputed master thrower at Gustavsberg. Through his early career, Friberg wasn't known for his artistic ambition. His artistic debut wouldn't come until the age of 42, when he exhibited in Stockholm with other Gustavsberg artists.

Perfectionist by heart

Berndt Friberg became known as a perfectionist with an eye for delicate, sensuous forms and magnificent glazes. His works ranged in size, from no higher than a few centimeters to large floor vases. The contours were reminiscent of classic styles, including Chinese stoneware from the Song Dynasty.

Rising success

At the age of 52, Friberg had his first solo exhibition in Gothenburg, which was well-received. Even the Swedish King Gustav VI Adolf became an avid collector of Fribergís work, acquiring more than 100 pieces. The demand for Friberg's work soon eclipsed supply. Every one of his pieces was sold.

Master of glazes

Berndt Friberg constantly refined his glazes, recording the details in his famous "black book". Early glazes were often matte delicate hare's fur glazes. During the 1960s, the glossy glazes "ox blood" and "aniara" became more dominant. Berndt remained at Gustavsberg until his death in 1981, leaving behind a legacy of brilliant ceramic craftmanship.

Marks of unique pottery

The marks of Berndt's unique objects could be quite hard to interpret. The master thrower was active at Gustavsberg between the years 1939-1981. Berndt used different signatures for the periods 1939-1944, 1944-1947, 1948-1981 as shown in the right image above. During the years 1941-1974, he also used letters to mark the year of production. (For example, the letter F is the year mark for 1964.) From 1975 and onward, the actual year is incised on the unique objects.

Source: https://www.mothersweden.com/berndt-friberg.html