Hans J. Wegner
Hans Jørgensen Wegner (1914 - 2007) was Danish furniture designer renowned throughout the world. His high quality and thoughtful work, along with a concerted effort from several of his manufacturers, contributed to the international popularity of mid-century Danish Design. His style is often described as Organic Functionality, a modernist school with emphasis on functionality. This school of thoughts arose primarily in Scandinavian countries with contributions from Poul Henningsen (1894-1967), Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) and Arne Jacobsen. During his lifetime he designed over 500 different chairs, over 100 of which were put into mass production and many of which have become recognizable design icons.
At the age of 14 Wegner was apprenticed to master cabinetmaker H. F. Stahlberg. He soon discovered he had a feeling for wood and developed an affinity towards the material. Finishing his appren-ticeship at the age 17 Wegner remained in the workshop for another three years before joining the army. He went to technical college after serving in the military, and then to the Danish School of Arts and Crafts and the Architectural Academy in Copenhagen. Wegner also worked for some time for Arne Jacobsen but after a few years, Wegner started his own company. Along with fellow architect Børge Mogensen (1914-72), he designed furniture for FDB.
Many of Wegner's wooden chairs are characterized by traditional joinery techniques including mortise and tenons, finger joints, and sculpted elements such as armrests and seat supports. Wegner also utilized traditional construction for upholstered pieces, and often mixed materials such as solid wood, plywood, metal, upholstery, caning, and papercord.