Moomin Ninny / Teema Mug

Moomin Ninny / Teema Mug

Vitreous porcelain with pattern

Tove Jansson 1945 / Teema Mug form: Kaj Franck 1952 / Ceramic Illustration: Tove Slotte for Arabia Finland 2019

[H 110mm x 83mm x 81mm / capacity: .30L]

Ninny, the invisible child from Moomin stories, has become unnoticeable due to ill treatment. The only visible part of her is a tiny silver bell, hanging on her neck. The Moomin family's warm, loving and tolerant ways restore Ninny's self-confidence, and she becomes visible again.

Ninny’s story is an important reminder of the power of caring: In Tove Jansson’s story The Invisible Child [1962], the Moomin family receives a guest – the small and mistreated Ninny, a girl who has turned invisible. She is afraid to talk, play or even laugh. The only sound she makes comes from a bell around her neck that rings to tell everybody where she is. The Moomin family takes the girl into their home and treats her with kindness. Because of their consideration, Ninny gets her confidence back and turns visible, bit by bit. Soon, they can see a pair of small feet on the stairs, then a couple of thin legs. But as the days go by, they still can’t see a face. Curious and thoughtful Moomintroll does everything he can to help Ninny. He encourages her and tries to teach her games. Ninny’s small face finally appears when she finds the courage to show her feelings – she gets so angry, and laughs so hard, that the jetty she is standing on shakes. “The Invisible Child” is a story that tells us about how important it is to see and to be seen.

Moomin Classics series features each character of the Moominvalley emphasizing each one’s own typical traits. The artwork present the characters from the front and behind and tells the story of that specific character. Arabia’s Moomins are turned from stories to ceramic illustrations by designer Tove Slotte. She has been drawing Moomins onto Arabia items since the beginning of the 1990s. The designer draws inspiration from Tove Jansson’s original illustrations, which she adapts to ceramic shapes. The Moomins have always been close to Tove Slotte’s heart. She articulated the significance of the Moomins nicely when she said: I think everyone should enjoy a little dose of Moomin philosophy every day.

Features: Dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, oven-safe and freezer-safe