Brita Drewsen
Brita Drewsen (1887–1983) was a Swedish artist and businesswoman who spent her working life in Denmark, creating household textiles and handicrafts. In 1925, working with the Danish entrepreneur Kaj Dessau, she designed the pioneering interiors of the Copenhagen household furnishings store, now
Biography
Born on 5 May 1887 in Stockholm, Brita Drewsen was the daughter of Ernst Otto Leopold Sjöberg (1859–1938) og Anna Henriette Morell (1866–1963). Brought up by a well-to-do family, she became familiar with modern interior design and furnishings in her Stockholm home. She was introduced to arts and crafts at Stockholm Läns Hemslöjdförening. In 1914, she exhibited her artefacts at an exhibition of Swedish crafts in Copenhagen.[3]
In 1914 Drewsen opened a shop in Copenhagen where she sold Swedish furniture and textiles. When she began to produce her own textiles, she ensured that the fabrics were not only of high quality but that they exhibited aesthetically attractive design features. In 1925, she became the artistic consultant for the entrepreneur Kaj Dessau who in 1928 designed the household furnishings store BO in the centre of Copenhagen, later known as Illums Bolighus. The goods displayed were placed in brightly lit, artistically designed interiors where the furniture and textiles were accompanied by artwork, including sculptures by Kai Nielsen. It was the first time a retail store enjoyed such innovative displays.[3]
Drewsen went on to use natural materials for her own light-coloured textiles and produced carpets together for Haderslev Klædefabrik. Their finely presented patterns made them suitable for use in artistically designed "
Brita Drewsen died in Lundtofte on 18 September 1983.[3]
References
- ^ "The Story of Illums Bolighus". Illums Bolighus. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ a b "6 armchairs, 1970´s Bjørn Wiinblad & Britta Drewsen". Secher. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Kragelund, Minna. "Brita Drewsen (1887 - 1983)" (in Danish). Kvinfo. Retrieved 5 March 2020.