The Bojesen’s patio at the family home Bella Vista near Bellevue, north of Copenhagen, was full of flowers, wicker furniture – and birds.

• There can be no doubt that this is the source of Kay Bojesen’s inspiration for the carefree songbird that he designed in the 1950s and hand-painted in cheerful colours.
• Even with the naked eye, it is clear that Ruth, Pop, Otto, Kay, Peter and Sunshine belong to the Bojesen animal family.
• All six birds have a clean, modern expression, stripped of superfluous details.
• And though clearly not an attempt to imitate nature, the birds are still so lifelike that it is easy to imagine them breaking out in song as the sun rises over the Sound.
• Kay: Named after the master himself and a huge fan of the colour blue. Kay Bojesen was always impeccably dressed in either a blue suit, shirt and tie or his white smock. A gentleman with a sense for underplayed, discreet elegance!