Georg Arthur Jensen

GEORG ARTHUR JENSEN (Denmark, 1866 - 1935).
Tray, ca. 1920 . 1930.
In silver.
With punches on the base.
Measurements: 35 x 45 cm.
Danish silversmith active in the late nineteenth century and during the first decades of the twentieth century, Jensen was the son of a knife sharpener from Raadvad, north of Copenhagen. He began his training as a silversmith at the age of fourteen in the Danish capital, as a disciple of Guldsmed Andersen, and became independent in 1884 to follow his own creative path. Interested in sculpture since he was a child, he then entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where he graduated in 1892. From this date he began to exhibit his works. Although his clay sculpture will be well received, Jensen will focus on applied arts to earn a living. Thus, he began to work as a modeler in the porcelain manufactory Bing & Grøndahl, and from 1898 he would combine this activity with his work in the small ceramic workshop that he founded with Christian Petersen. However, although his pieces were again well received, his sales were not enough to support Jensen and his family, so in 1901 he abandoned ceramics and began to work as a silversmith and designer with Mogens Ballin. Three years later he became independent and opened his own silversmith's workshop in Copenhagen. Jensen's training as a silversmith and his education in fine arts enabled him to combine the two disciplines to revive the tradition of the artisan artist. Soon, the beauty and quality of his Art Nouveau creations fascinated the public, ensuring his success. By the end of the 1920s, his Copenhagen workshop had grown considerably, and he had also opened stores in New York, London, Paris, Stockholm, Berlin and other cities. In fact, during this decade Jensen sold his designs manufactured in Spain in the old jewelry store located at number 90 Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. Today, the firm that bears his name is still active and has become the paradigm of Scandinavian luxury design.