Hans J. Wegner is one of the most important figures in 20th-century furniture design. Born in 1914, the cabinetmaker, designer and architect was a co-founder of Danish Modern, which had a decisive influence on later ideas of how we live at home.
At the age of 14, Hans Wegner began an apprenticeship with a cabinetmaker (H.F. Stahlberg), where he also designed his first piece of furniture. He later moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, to study at the institution now known as "The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design", which at the time went by the comparatively modest name of "The Artisan College".
In 1940, Wegner started a joint project with Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller in Aarhus in Denmark, which included designing the interior of the city hall. In the same year, Wegner began working with master cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen, who played a key role in introducing modern design to the Danish public. In 1942, the Industrial Art Museum in Copenhagen (now Design Museum Denmark) acquired the first Wegner chair. Hans J. Wegner opened his own design studio in 1943, and in 1944 he designed the first "China Chair" in a series inspired by the thrones of the Chinese emperors.
A Danish design legend
The CH24 Wishbone Chair, which also belongs to this series and is probably Wegner's best-known work, was created in 1949 and has been produced continuously by Carl Hansen & Søn since 1950. Wegner's design is still highly relevant today, and his handling of detail continues to attract attention: his work is characterised by perfectly crafted joints and exquisite forms. Wegner had deep respect for wood and its character, and was driven by an enduring curiosity about good materials and how to use them.
Hans J. Wegner can rightly be called a Danish design legend: the cabinetmaker, designer and architect received many awards and honours. Among other things, he was an honorary member of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London, UK. He was also the first recipient of the Lunning Prize and received the 8th International Design Award in Osaka, Japan. His work is represented in major international museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, USA, and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich in Germany. Hans J. Wegner died in Denmark in January 2007.