At the end of the 19th century, the Finnish people had a growing longing for an independent cultural identity and created a clear and recognisable national style. The man behind many of the foremost architectural masterpieces was Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen from Rantasalmi, Finland, who is now considered one of the forerunners of modern Finnish architecture. On 22 November, Annmaris Nordic Auctions in Helsinki will hold their Design & Luxury sale, presenting an array of pioneering Finnish designs including pieces from the one and only Eliel Saarinen.
Saarinen first made a name for himself by founding the architectural firm Gesellius, Lindgren & Saarinen with Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren while the men were still studying at the Helsinki Polytechnic Institute. The three designed entire houses and interiors, and the acclaimed firm would eventually become known around the world.
In 1900, the trio was given the prestigious task of designing the Finnish pavilion for the World's Fair in Paris.
Saarinen’s early works testify to nature, the Finnish soul and his own Karelian heritage, but as he and his colleagues spent time abroad they gained new insights and influences. After seeing architecture such as the Glasgow School and the Secession Building in Vienna, they were inspired to create the Finnish National Museum and Helsinki Railway Station.
After Eliel Saarinen won second prize in 1922 in the competition for designing the Chicago Tribune Tower, he and his family moved to the United States. There, they settled in Illinois while Saarinen became involved with developing and completing the construction of the Chicago waterfront.
A year later, Saarinen met the American newspaper king and philanthropist George Gough Booth, who asked him to design the Cranbrook Educational Community.
Nearly a decade later, Saarinen co-founded and became the first director of what would become America's most influential and influential design institution, the Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Despite his new homeland and popular Art Deco designs, Saarinen retained his Scandinavian heritage and basic humanistic view. These influences were of great importance to both his students and the arc of 20th-century American design.
The Cranbrook Academy of Art educated some of the world's foremost designers and architects, such as the couple Charles and Ray Eames. Eliel Saarinen was awarded five times for his designs and architecture, and received honorary doctorates at both Harvard University and Cambridge University.
The Saarinen couple had two children, and from 1937 Eliel ran an architectural firm with his later world-famous son Eero Saarinen. The two would collaborate until Eliel’s death in 1950, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan at the age of 76.
The Design & Luxury auction includes several fine examples of Eliel Saarinen’s furniture along with a variety of other exceptional pieces. The auction will commence on 22 November at 7pm EET, with live online bidding.
