Kirsti Ilvessalo
Illustration — Kirsti-Ilvessalo, 1959 Kirsti Ilvessalo (after marriage, Kirsti Ilvessalo-Viljakainen; 25 May 1920 – 5 July 2019) was a Finnish textile artist, best known for her ryijy. She received awards at the Triennale di Milano (1951, 1954, 1960), and the Order of the Lion of Finland (1979).
Kirsti Ilvessalo
The Finnish Museum of Photography · https: Image record page in Finna: fmp.D1974:33%2F5863 · No known copyright restrictions
- Born
- Kirsti Ilvessalo was born on 25 May 1920. · Helsinki.
- Died
- Kirsti Ilvessalo died on 5 July 2019. · Helsinki.
- Nationality
- Finland
- Occupation
- textile artist · designer
- Education
- Aalto University School of Arts and Design and Architecture
- Honours
- Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland
- Languages
- Finnish
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Illustration — Kirsti-Ilvessalo, 1959 Kirsti Ilvessalo (after marriage, Kirsti Ilvessalo-Viljakainen; 25 May 1920 – 5 July 2019) was a Finnish textile artist, best known for her ryijy. She received awards at the Triennale di Milano (1951, 1954, 1960), and the Order of the Lion of Finland (1979).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Kirsti Ilvessalo (1920–2019) was a designer and textile artist, of Finnish nationality. The designer was born and died in Helsinki. Kirsti Ilvessalo was educated at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.
Languages used include Finnish. Works are held at Nationalmuseum.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Kirsti Ilvessalo. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q16299308 · wikipedia · Kirsti Ilvessalo
In this article
Biography
Biography
Kirsti Ilvessalo studied at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The recorded working language is Finnish. Work by Kirsti Ilvessalo is recorded in the collections of Nationalmuseum. Distinctions recorded are Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland.
Kirsti Päivi Ilvessalo was born in Helsinki on 25 May 1920. She received her education at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture 1940–1944. Ilvessalo was a leader in the Friends of Finnish Handicraft association during the period of 1947 to 1952. Subsequently, she opened her own textile studio. She taught textile composition at the School of Art and Design in 1947–1960. She was best known for her ryijy, which appeared in several foreign museums (including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm). She also composed and manufactured interior textiles for a number of public buildings. She also designed jewelry and wallpaper. Ilvessalo won the gold medal at the Triennale di Milano in 1951 and 1960 as well as the Grand Prix in 1954. In 1979, she was awarded the Order of the Lion of Finland. She died on 5 July 2019.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1920
Kirsti Ilvessalo born at Helsinki.
2019
Kirsti Ilvessalo died at Helsinki.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Kirsti Ilvessalo was born at Helsinki.
Birthplace
Kirsti Ilvessalo died at Helsinki.
Deathplace
Helsinki.
Birth place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Kirsti Ilvessalo”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q16299308: Kirsti Ilvessalo
General reference · Wikidata
Awards
• Illustration — Kirsti Ilvessalo, 1956 • 1951, Gold Medal, Triennale di Milano • 1954, Grand Prix, Triennale di Milano • 1960, Gold Medal, Triennale di Milano • 1979, Order of the Lion of Finland
Tekstiilitaiteilijja Kirsti Ilvessalo neuvottelemassa kutojan kanssa. photographer unknown / kuvaaja tuntematon 1956 Finland Finnish Museum of Photography / Suomen valokuvataiteen museo
The Finnish Museum of Photography · https: Image record page in Finna: fmp.D1974:33%2F5863
Kirsti Ilvessalo (1920–2019), Finnish textile designer
Suomen Kuvalehti 51/1962
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Palo Karki - Ilvessalo, Kirsti. V and A Collections. 19 December 2019.
- 2.Nationalmuseum. Kirsti Ilvessalo. emp-web-84.zetcom.ch.
- 3.Kirsti Ilvessalo. www.kalevalakoru.fi.
- 4.Suomen Leijonan Pro Finlandia -mitalin saajat 1945-2019. www.ritarikunnat.fi.
- 5.Kirsti Ilvessalo 1920–2019. Helsingin Sanomat. 26 August 2019.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Modern design
3,254 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Kim AlbrechtDesigner
- Kim NaverDesigner
- Kimiko KasaiDesigner
- Kira PlastininaDesigner
- Kit HinrichsDesigner
- Kitty MacCormackDesigner
- Kitty van der Mijll DekkerDesigner
- Kiyoshi AwazuDesigner
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Kirsti Ilvessalo?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.