Dora Jung created a new language for textiles, which still appeals to our senses Dora Jung, Finnish textile artist, created a fabulous collection of tablecloths and napkins for Tampella linen factory in the 1950s to the 1970s. It has long been our dream to restart producing these unique textiles in our Lapua weaving factory.
Dora Jung is undoubtedly one of the great Finnish designers of all time – a pioneer in damask technique and a versatile textile artist beyond comparison. Her linen tablecloths and napkins, classically elegant in their patterns and colours, after all these decades still represent the high point in Finnish design and deserve to be reborn and rediscovered in Scandinavian homes. For all of their great cooperation we wish to extend our thanks to Renor Oy and Dora Jung’s family as well as the Museum Centre Vapriikki in Tampere, the proprietor of Tampella’s archives of designs and expert on Dora Jung’s life’s work spanning over half a century,. We have finally started reweaving Dora Jung’s beloved classical textiles – naturally, in keeping with her original weave drawings and instructions. Lay your table with beautiful Dora Jung designs or give them away as unforgettable gifts.
Esko Hjelt
Fourth generation weaver, Lapuan Kankurit Oy
Bold Reformist
Dora Jung is known as a pioneer in arts and crafts, a developer of weaving techniques and a bold reformist with a unique sense of aesthetics, colours, and shapes and also a perfect hand with the finest linen qualities. Dora Jung’s modern designs won the most significant awards both in Finland and abroad. She was awarded the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennales in 1951, 1954, and 1957 and granted the insignia of the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 1980 “for promoting industrial design in Finland”.
”She (Ellen Silferberg) taught me that there’s no need to follow the instructions in the weaving handbooks literally but, instead, one can weave according to one’s own likes and dislikes. This is the principle that I have observed in my work.”
Joy in Beautiful Everyday Objects
In her heart and soul, Dora Jung was a craftswoman whose work with textiles was her whole life. She found her inspiration in her vision of providing beautiful everyday objects in ordinary Finnish homes.
At the Tampella linen factory Dora Jung’s designs, woven with the intricate Jacquard technique, were almost like handwoven tablecloths, napkins, and placemats and each one was signed by the artist. Their style, patterns and colours are excellently suited to table settings even today, both in daily life and on more festive occasions.
Kaarna, dating back to 1964, depicting Finnish pine forests, is a splendid example of Dora Jung’s design that stands the test of time. Its carefully thought-out colours look splendid in Scandinavian homes also in the 2010s.
”Fantastic, imaginative, emotional, exquisite”, wrote a Danish magazine about Dora Jung’s designs which were on display in a private exhibition at Det Danske Kunstindustri Museet in the spring of 1970.”
100 Roses for Festive Occasions
Dora Jung’s best-known and most beloved damask tablecloth, 100 Roses, was made to order for Stockmann Department Store on their 100th anniversary in 1962. It is a valuable classic which is passed down as a family heirloom from mother
to daughter, father to son.
100 Roses is a tablecloth for festive occasions, with a beautiful sheen and a uniquely woven three-dimensional feel in its abundance of roses. It is a popular gift for mothers, married couples and to commemorate anniversaries and graduations.
”Dora Jung proved that one can paint just as well using threads as oils.”
Creativity and Fascination of the Thread
Dora Jung was known for her uncompromising ambition and for always demanding the best output in her own work. She was on a constant search for new ways to express her ideas and emotions through her textiles. She questioned the restrictions traditionally set by materials and weaving techniques and was not afraid of taking on challenges which seemed impossible to conquer. Searching for new solutions was a lifelong source of inspiration for her.
“The challenges and possibilities of the Jacquard technique are still basically the same as fifty years ago. It has been truly rewarding to study Dora Jung’s fabrics, thread by thread, and it has further heightened my esteem for her.” Esko Hjelt.
Avantgarde, Beloved Damask Cloths
In her own studio, Dora Jung also designed small damask table linen for various purposes; for exhibitions, works of art at home and small table linen. The best-known of these are Rose, Anemone, and Princesses.
As in all her work, she broke against tradition here as well and designed a completely new type of linen. The themes were often well-known Dora Jung favourites – nature, birds, and flowers. Dora Jung designed Anemone, a small tablecloth with refined colours in a Japanese style, in 1961. Anemone differs from
traditional table linen in its shape because Dora Jung felt that a square cloth is more beautiful on a round table.
”My Horse” – “Min häst” Dora Jung signed many of her small tablecloths with a sign resembling the loom, and called the sign ”her horse”. In the small cloths her signature forms an important part of the whole cloth, together with Tampella’s TL mark. In the case of textile works of art, she often wove her signature or initials into the fabric.
Lily of the Valley commemorates Finland’s independence
Dora Jung designed this tablecloth depicting lily of the valley, Finland’s national flower, for the country’s 50th anniversary as an independent nation in 1967. Because of its background, Lily of the Valley is today one of the treasures of collectors of Finnish design products.
Dora Jung textiles, woven by Lapuan Kankurit, are recognized by the LK sign. Naturally, the cloths also carry Dora Jung’s own signature, “My Horse”
Play of Lines – The Tablecloth which Put Finland on the Map
Play of Lines, representing a new style of artistic expression in textile art, won Dora Jung the internationally renowned Grand Prix in the Milan Triennale in 1957. It opened many doors and Dora Jung’s name attracted interest in art & design
circles around the world.
Play of Lines, also presented by the Finnish state as an official gift to VIPs, is woven out of the thinnest and finest quality linen, Extra A, while all the other tablecloths are made out of quality A linen. Play of Lines was a classic at its birth and has represented Finnish arts and crafts abroad over several decades.
”Dora Jung’s Grand Prix will be the most important springboard to success and world fame for Finland”, claimed Mr Lombardo, an Italian cabinet minister at the award ceremony in 1958.
”The Play of Lines tablecloth combines exquisite artistic sense and an excellent technical weaving performance.” Ilmari Tapiovaara, 1957
Cooperation, Way of Life, Joy of Life
Despite her international success, Dora Jung was a modest artist and devoted to her work. She helped raise Finnish design to international fame together with Alvar Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara, and Timo Sarpaneva. When she received awards and praise for her work, she always emphasized the craftsmanship of her weavers and her close cooperation with them.
”One must have the soul of a craftsman.”
A craftswoman who was thoroughly familiar with technology and machines
Whether it was the unique damask tablecloths of her own weaving studio or patterns designed for the linen factory, Dora Jung created her new designs by first focusing on the material and weaving technique, and then on the shapes and colours.
During her 50 years of work, Dora Jung designed a huge amount of textiles for homes, churches, and public premises; each of them by slowly progressing thread by thread, centimetre by centimetre – carefully considering and testing each tiny detail.
”It takes many years of learning. One must understand that every thread is important.”
Dora Jung’s Legacy Will Live On
Dora Jung never retired. Her last design was an extensive collection of altar linen for the Olari congregation in Espoo. This work was unfinished as the 74-year-old artist unexpectedly passed away in 1980. The saga of the nearly 50-year-old weaving studio on Korkeavuorenkatu in Helsinki came to an end in the spring of 1981, and the weaving of linen also ended at Tampella at the same time.
Now, three decades later, Dora Jung’s fabulous and exquisite linen textiles are reborn in the weavery of Lapuan Kankurit, for more beautiful homes for all of us
Dora Jung (16.10.1906–19.12.1980)
- Studies at the Textile Design Department of the Central School of Arts and Crafts
- 1929–1932
- Weaving studio in Helsinki in 1932–1980
- Teacher of art at a Vocational School for Girls in Helsinki 1935–1945
- Designer for Tampella Oy 1956–1972 where she reformed the damask collection
- Designed textiles for use in homes, ecclesiastic textiles,
- and public works of textile arts
- Grand Prix at the Milan Triennales in 1951, 1954, and 1957; Bronze medal in 1933
- Pro Finlandia Award, 1955
- Ford Leader Grant, 1958
- Prince Eugen Medal, Sweden, 1961
- Cotil Award, Denmark, 1963
- Scandinavian Arts and Crafts Award, Handelsbank Fond, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1972
- Honorary Royal Designer for Industry, 1979 (The Royal Society for
- the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, RSA)
- Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland, 1980
- Several exhibitions in Finland and abroad
