THE KING OF THE CRYSTAL, AIMO OKKOLIN AND THE MAGIC OF WATER-LILY

“A spring’s eye of shadow resists even the slightest flow.

Among tree shadow, its lit water adorns warm clear skies.

Spiral of blades, a tiny waterlily’s clenched against dew,

And there at the very tip, in early light, sits a dragonfly.”

- Yang Wan-li (1127-1206)

Aimo Okkolin by the pond. Photographer Erkki Vaalle

In the Asian cultures, the water-lily symbolises the holy, beauty, enlightenment, love and pure. The name Nymphaeaceae derives from the Greek word ”nymphaea”, the nymph, referring to the enchanting beauty of the flower petals. According to the legend, the water-lily is related also to the moment of creation, thus being a symbol to something mystical, when the artist is reaching for the idea, which they only can force into reality.

In arts, the water-lily has been an inspiration for thousands of years. The best-known interpretation is of course the impressionist Claude Monet’s series of ca 250 works, depicting flowers that intrigued him greatly. However, in the history of art, particularly the Japanese woodcuts by the ukiyo-e masters Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and Hiroshige Utagawa (1797-1858) have transformed the simple lines into expressive flowers. In the history of constructions, one of the most notable creations, the Crystal Palace in London by the architect and gardener Sir Joseph Paxton, was rumoured to have been based to the beautiful Big Lily, an enormous water-lily found from the Amazon in 1837.

In Finland, Aimo Okkolin’s (1917-1982) Water-lily is a modern classic, with timeless beauty and interest. Okkolin designed his Water-lily in 1960, all the while renewing the crystal as art glass. Wild flowers were important to him, and their features followed in his works from the idea through the handling of the material to the cutting. For the Water-lily Okkolin was inspired of lilies in a certain pond by the road to Hämeenlinna.

Different shades of water lilies. Photographer Timo Syrjänen

As a symbol of creation, with the Water-lily we get to experience Okkolin’s unique sense of material. His design was based not only on the thorough knowledge of the glass workshop but also on his cutting skills. Okkolin, who originally worked as an engraver and a cutter in Riihimäki, was able to create masterful pieces with geometrical shapes, light-reflecting properties and enlightened, beautiful shades.

According to the Finnish Glass Museum’s collections researcher Hannele Viilomaa, Okkolin developed a new cutting method specifically for the Water-lily; the method being more suitable for thick-walled bowls. The reflection of light from the cuts of the crystal bowl created dramatic shadows and radially propagating patterns. Okkolin would eventually have wanted to hammer the glass with an ax, and the Water-lily seems to be strangely dichotomous: as if the delicate flower has been forced into hard, heavy material and sharp corners have been cut into thin petals. The spectator acknowledges simultaneously the similarity of the simple lines and the calmness of the Japanese art.

The new way to cut glass influenced the processing of the Riihimäki glass factory’s crystal pieces and opened up possibilities to produce more impressive art glass objects. Water-lilies were usually produced in so-called neodyme-lilac, yellow and clear glass, but they were also available (in limited editions) as green, blue and pink coloured. Okkolin himself preferred the clear glass, perhaps as the properties of the material were clearly displayed in it.

Okkolin grinding. Photographer Erkki Vaalle

The Finnish Glass Museum has six Water-lilies by Okkolin in its collections, with various sizes and colours. Glass museum has also published Lumpeenkukka – Aimo Okkolin, in Finnish, with Hannele Viilomaa and Kaisa Koivisto shedding light to his art glass and designer career. Even though our museum is currently closed, you can still order the publication from our museum shop, see details here.

Curator, Head of Collections Johanna Lindfors