Finn Juhl Chair
At its introduction in 1949 the chair marked a renewal of the danish furniture design tradition and today it is seen as one of the most important exponents of the danish modern movement in the usa in the 1950 s.
Finn juhl chair. Finn juhl 30 january 1912 17 may 1989 was a danish architect interior and industrial designer most known for his furniture design he was one of the leading figures in the creation of danish design in the 1940s and he was the designer who introduced danish modern to america. Rather than thinking in terms of practical construction finn juhl had the mindset of a sculptor when he shaped a piece of furniture. First presented at the cabinetmaker s guild exhibition in copenhagen in 1949 the chair was unprecedented and it stole the show. The chieftain chair is one of finn juhl s absolute masterpieces representing the peak of his career as a furniture designer.
His crowning achievement is the chieftain chair the largest and most daring design of his career. With this approach he created pieces like the pelican the poet sofa the chieftain chair and the 45 chair which today have become icons of the danish modern design tradition. Finn juhl was influenced both by the work of abstract sculptor jean arp and by tribal art. As a hat tip to his influences finn juhl has exhibited his famous work the finn juhl chieftain chair alongside photos of weapons from anthropological studies.
Rather than thinking in terms of practical construction finn juhl had the mindset of a sculptor when he shaped a piece of furniture. Finn juhl designed furniture with the human body in mind and stood out from his midcentury architect peers in denmark as well as the rest of scandinavia. Rather than thinking in terms of practical construction finn juhl had the mindset of a sculptor when he shaped a piece of furniture. With this approach he created pieces like the pelican the poet sofa the chieftain chair and the 45 chair which today have become icons of the danish modern design tradition.
Finn juhl s partnership with the furniture manufacturer france son gave birth to a series of furniture well suited for industrial production while staying true to the ideals of simple designs that reigned in the 1950s the most famous example of this cooperation is probably the japan series from 1953 which consi. Inspired by modern art and sculpture the chair exhibits an organic shape with a human character evidenced in the welcoming embrace of the seat back. Along with hans wegner arne jacobsen and børge mogensen finn juhl was one of the great masters of mid 20th century danish design juhl was the first among that group to have his work promoted overseas bringing the character of the nation s furnishings and the inherent principles of grace craftsmanship and utility on which they were based to an international audience.