Hans Wegner (1914-2007) designed with a style that is now often described as Organic Functionalism, a modernist school with emphasis on functionality. This school of thought arose primarily in Scandinavian countries. Wegner designed over 500 different chairs, over 100 of which were put into mass production and many of which have become recognizable design icons.
Wegner was born in southern Denmark, and he worked as a child apprentice to master cabinetmaker H.F. Stahlberg. He soon developed an affinity for wood, and after finishing his apprenticeship at 17, he stayed at the workshop for another three years before joining the army. After his service, he went to a technical college, then to the Danish School of Arts and Crafts and the Architectural Academy in Copenhagen.
After becoming acquainted with Copenhagen’s Carpenters’ Guild Furniture Exhibits, Wegner learned first-hand what the combination of workmanship and design could produce. He decided to become a designer with the aim of producing and selling furniture.
In 1938 Wegner was employed in Århus, where he was to design furniture for the City Hall. Then after some years working under the successful Danish designer Arne Jacobsen, Wegner started his own company. Along with fellow architect Børge Mogensen, he designed furniture for FDB (a Danish chain of grocery stores), spearheaded by Erik Kold — who founded an organization of Danish furniture makers that launched Danish design abroad.
In his later years, Wegner designed more for PP Møbler. Wegner retired from public life only in the last decade of his life.
Wegner received several major design prizes. In 1951, he received both the Lunning prize and the Grand Prix of the Milan Triennale. He also received the Prince Eugen medal in Sweden and the Danish Eckersberg medal.
We are pleased to have on offer a group of furniture designed by Hans Wegner in our December 6th Sale of Modern and Contemporary Fine and Decorative Arts, including a teak love seat and three-seat sofa, a teak low table and end table, and two pairs of armchairs.
(Shown: Lot 304: Pair of Hans Wegner Teak Armchairs, Stamped ‘Made in Denmark’.)
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