I saw A. W. Finch's exhibition at Didrichsen art museum this Sunday. I wanted to make a little research on his influence on ceramics as the exhibition showcased basically his legacy on paintings and etchings. Les XX avec avantgarde by Monet and Gauguin & co. (Later with decorative artists, new salon Libre Esthétique.) Pointillism, plus neo impressionism avec M. Enckell.
My teacher in material studies has given a lecture about him at Design Museum in 2006 which I'm going to refer here shortly.
Finch studied in Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. He gained his know-how at Boch factory as faience painter 1890-1893, as a researcher.
Iris factory's showroom opened in Helsinki, 1894. He was invited to start empirical research at Iris ceramic art factory in Porvoo, Finland 1897 by leading the company, which visuality was based strongly on red clay, engobes and scraffito, combining jugend style and functional art. His aim was to join the fine and decorative arts together. Lines as decorative approach, simplicity and harmony in forms. Running glaze aesthetiques, flamme, based on Tang Dynasty ware. (Observed from the exhibited vase, that the glaze has runned on a fire brick/tripod and sanded before exhibition.)
He also had another salon based on the idea of art industry, Societé Anonyme L'Art, where ideologially, the artwork was exhibited for the idea, not by artists/makers.
Ateneum, A. W. Finch 1902-1930, followed by Elsa Elenius, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Airi Hortling as teachers. They all rooted for empirical material research for their students to study color metal oxides in glazes. He brought notes from Belgium to bring theoretical reach towards the material and the design. He underlined function, technique and aesthetics. Strong influencer of Arts & Crafts movement/taideteollisuus.