Wall hanging: Torn & Paradisträd (Tower and Paradise Tree)

Stig Lindberg was a prolific, award-winning designer of ceramics and decorative patterns in the 1950s. His assured and idiosyncratic use of line, together with his sense of humor, sets his work apart from that of his contemporaries, and gives it a liveliness that continues to appeal to collectors today. Many of Lindberg's designs (such as "Lustgarden," also in the MFA's collection) have a smooth, free-flowing quality, but here he employs a distinct style, with heavy, spiky black outlines and high-contrast blocks of color. The large scale of the design, its bold and unusual color palette, and strong graphic appeal make it an excellent example of mid-20th-century design.