The Nationalmuseum in Stockholm has acquired a Table in Swedish-style art deco by by Anna Petrus.
This table was designed by Anna Petrus (1886–1949), an artist working in Sweden during the first half of the 20th century. She is best known as a designer for Svenskt Tenn, whose current collection still includes her pewter lion. The square table, dating from around 1922, has four rectangular black wooden legs, each ending in a dog’s foot. The tabletop is pewter and features chased-work decoration in the form of vines and figures, with a couple of putti kissing at the centre. The areas between the embellishments have a granular surface.
Anna Petrus is among a group of designers whom design history forgot for the longest time but who have latterly started to attain increasing prominence in exhibitions, new publications and on the market. She is regarded as one of the pioneers of her day.
The table is a welcome addition to Nationalmuseum’s collection of 1920s furniture and a fine example of high-quality furniture in Swedish-style art deco. The piece was acquired in October 2010 with the support of the Weber foundation and can be seen in the exhibition Design 19002000. Nationalmuseum does not have a budget for art and design acquisitions. To expand the collections, the museum has to rely on generous donations and bequests and on support from private foundations and investment funds.
Image: Table in Swedish-style art deco, Anna Petrus
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