Elsa Beskow mug, Uncle Blue

The Swedish designer Catharina Kippel studied ceramics and glass-blowing in Sweden and ancient ceramic burning techniques in Japan. Since 1995 she has had her own studio where she works as an artist and designer. Her work can be seen in the Swedish national museum and Gustavsberg porcelain museum in Sweden. Kippel has cooperated with Design House Stockholm fro a long period of time and designed many of their bestselling porcelain products. 

Elsa Beskow was born in 1874 in a family of five children in Stockholm. When she was 15 her father died and the family moved together with the mothers unmarried siblings. The uncle and the aunts became the inspiration for the famous characters Aunt Brown, Aunt Green, Aunt Lavender and Uncle blue.

Beskow started illustrating children’s books while studying to become an art teacher. She lived with her husband, the painter Natanael Beskow and their six sons in Djursholm north of Stockholm. The lush garden of their home was a source of inspiration to many of her stories. 

The stories and illustrations of Beskow dominated the children’s literature for over 50 years and are still familiar for many of us from our childhood. The books have been translated to over 20 languages and many authors and illustrators of children’s literature have been inspired by her work. In 1952 Beskow won the Nils Holgerson-award for her work as an author and today there is a literature award named after her. 

Over hundred years after the release of her first book Beskow’s stories and illustrations still live strong. The Swedish author Tove Jansson says: ”The books of Beskow are clean and natural and that is why children will love them from time to time and want to return to them still after the end of their childhood.”