Finnish Design Shop has unveiled an interiors collection inspired by the modernist art of Helene Schjerfbeck

You may not be familiar with the name Helene Schjerfbeck – but if you’re an admirer of Nordic modernism, you will be. Schjerfbeck (1862-1946) was the mother of the movement, shaping its visual language through her portraits and leaving a lasting imprint on Finnish and Nordic design.

Today (5 December 2025), The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York became the first major US institution to present a solo exhibition of Schjerfbeck’s work. ‘Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck’ will be on view until 5 April 2026. To mark the occasion, The Met has collaborated with Finnish Design Shop – the leading online retailer of Finnish and Scandinavian design – on a special launch: the ‘Tones of Modernism Collection’, a limited-edition series of furniture and interior objects.

Though Schjerfbeck was a painter, her influence extends beyond the realm of fine art. The restrained, contemplative and emotionally charged aesthetic of her work – known as the ‘Schjerfbeck look’ – shaped Finland’s emerging modernist identity, influencing design houses such as Artek and Iittala. The Met’s collaboration with Finnish Design Shop honours this interwoven legacy, inviting contemporary designers to interpret Schjerfbeck’s sensibility through objects.

‘At Finnish Design Shop, we believe that art and design share a common language,’ says CEO Noora Tirkkonen. ‘We see it as our mission to bridge these worlds, making art and design accessible to a broader audience. It’s a vision that follows in the footsteps of Finnish design legends Alvar and Aino Aalto, who – together with the founders of Artek – set out more than 90 years ago to unite art, design and architecture.’

‘Tones of Modernism’ brings together five acclaimed Finnish brands – Artek, Iittala, Lapuan Kankurit, Nikari and the natural cosmetics label Hetkinen. In addition to their modernist heritage and commitment to craftsmanship, each was selected for its ability to interpret Schjerfbeck’s work in design form.

Highlights include Artek’s iconic Stool 60 – an enduring symbol of Finnish design – reissued in custom, muted hues. Meanwhile, Hetkinen introduces exclusive room fragrances and hand soaps created specifically for the exhibition, prompting not only the question of what Schjerfbeck’s art might look like as an object, but what it might smell like.

Through these pieces, which carry the hallmarks of both Schjerfbeck’s art and Finnish design tradition, Finnish Design Shop aims, as Tirkkonen notes, to ‘continue the legacy of Helene Schjerfbeck’s art by bringing an element of the quiet, tranquil beauty of her work into people’s homes.’