Hans J. Wegner

A leading protagonist of Danish modernism, Hans J. Wegner (1914–2007) made himself a name with furniture designs that harmoniously combine rationalist functionalism, a poetic aesthetic, and the Danish tradition of expert joinery. By reinterpreting historical furniture types, Wegner created numerous twentieth-century classics, many of which may be found in the holdings of the Vitra Design Museum. A monographic exhibition in the Schaudepot now shows pieces such as the Wishbone Chair (1950), the Peacock Chair (1948), and the Round Chair (1950) also known simply as »The Chair«. Further artefacts and a number of films offer insights into Wegner’s perfectionist attention to even the smallest details of furniture construction, from ingeniously crafted joints to the properties of different kinds of wood – factors that have contributed to the cult status of Wegner’s furnishings in the resurgence of Scandinavian design.