Portrait
Bodil Bødtker-Næss
Weaver and designer Bodil Bødtker-Næss (1942-1988) is a prominent name in Danish textile art. She created some of Georg Jensen Damask's most iconic motifs and was part of the inner circle of textile artists associated with Georg Jensen Damask's looms in the 1970s. In 1975, she designed the pattern for Georg Jensen Damask's classic Christmas tablecloth and in 1979 the motif for the Easter tablecloth.
Bodil Bødtker-Næss was educated in textiles at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen and made her debut at Charlottenborg's Spring Exhibition in 1964. She often worked in large formats, creating compositions built around simple leaf shapes held in place by precise geometric lines. Over time, she completed many significant decorative and design projects, and as a teacher and a visionary she had a lasting influence on an entire generation of young weavers.
Bodil Bødtker-Næss placed high demands on the craft of weaving and the professional experiment. Her strong sense of fibres and yarns translated into nature-inspired damask patterns and ornaments. This, among other things, led to the iconic design of the Christmas tablecloth for Georg Jensen Damask.
The Christmas design is based on a motif of woven Christmas hearts and stylised fir branches in a simple graphic composition that forms a cohesive whole. Its understated yet recognisable design evokes a festive atmosphere and a sense of nostalgia when placed on the table.
The Christmas tablecloth's iconic seasonal motif is today the feature of a larger damask-woven Christmas collection which, in addition to the classic tablecloth, includes placemats, table runners, tea towels and a Christmas tree rug.