Axel Salto, 1889-1961

Axel Salto is one of the most important of the Twentieth Century Danish ceramic designers. His organic expressionist style is derived from an abstraction of the natural forms found in his earliest work. Initially his work was characterized by natural seed, flower fruit and gourd forms. As his work matured it became less identifiably figural, finally losing all references to the real.

Axel Salto, was both a painter and a ceramist. His work for Royal Copenhagen began in 1933. He won prizes at the Paris International fairs of 1925 and 1937 and the grand prize at the Milan Triennale in 1951.

He came to Royal Copenhagen in 1933 after first working as a ceramicist at Bing and Grondahl and later at the Saxbo Studio started by Nathalie Krebs. He was a painter, illustrator, a textile designer and a jewelry designer. He was awarded prizes in Paris in 1925 and 1937 as well as the Grand Prix at the 1951 Milan Triennale.