Candlestick for Irma

Candlestick for Irma (1957)

Carved European cherry.

While he would never consider himself anything but a cabinetmaker, Krenov’s penchant for knife and gouge carving was noticed by his teacher, Carl Malmsten. Krenov was encouraged to use these skills while he studied under Malmsten at the Verkstadsskola in Stockholm in the late 1950s, and this candlestick, made after hours while he was a student, shows Krenov’s ability with carved forms.

Made in European cherry, the floral motifs and faceted surfaces highlight the influence of Malmsten’s blend of Scandinavian aesthetics and folk “slöjd” style on Krenov’s earliest woodworking.

Krenov carved this candle stick for his wife Britta’s mother, Irma, for her 60th birthday, as indicated by the carved inscription on the piece’s bottom.