Ceramic wall plate, Viljo Mäkinen, Kupittaan Savi

Viljo Mäkinen (1920–1985). One of Finland's most distinctive ceramic sculptors, Viljo Mäkinen combined humour, warmth and expressive craftsmanship throughout a career that bridged ceramics, sculpture and fine art. After studying at the Turku School of Drawing, he worked as a ceramic artist at Kupittaan Savi during the 1940s and 1950s, where he developed the playful figurative style that became his hallmark. His ceramic works are characterised by lively human and animal figures, textured surfaces and richly varied glazes that celebrate individuality rather than perfection. Alongside ceramics, Mäkinen created sculptures in bronze, wood, terracotta, stone and concrete, producing numerous public monuments and artworks across Finland. His imaginative, often naïve yet deeply human visual language made his work immediately recognisable and earned him exhibitions at major Finnish museums, including the Turku Art Museum and the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum. Today, his handcrafted ceramic sculptures remain among the most charming and sought-after examples of mid-century Finnish studio ceramics.