Mogens Voltelen and the Evolution of the Copenhagen II Lounge Chair
Few furniture designs capture the sculptural ambition of Danish modernism as vividly as Mogens Voltelen’s Copenhagen II lounge chair, model MV60. Created in the early 1960s and produced by master cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, the chair embodies a rare balance of architectural boldness and refined craftsmanship. Its angular frame, suspended leather seat, and tensioned armrests produce a silhouette that is both monumental and weightless – an icon of Danish modern design. But Copenhagen II did not emerge in isolation. It represents the culmination of more than three decades of experimentation, refinement, and dialogue between architect and cabinetmaker. To understand its significance, one must trace the path back to Voltelen’s earliest explorations in the 1930s.
Part 1: Early Experiments (1930s)
Mogens Voltelen (1908–1995) trained as an architect but quickly distinguished himself through furniture that pushed beyond conventional form. His earliest documented chairs, developed in collaboration with cabinetmaker Niels Vodder in the early 1930s, reveal a fascination with curvature, balance, and structural clarity. In 1931, Voltelen presented an easy chair with a tall, gently reclined back and upholstered cushions, resting on a boldly curved base in pine.
Archive Photo: Designmuseum Danmark, Furniture Index
The same year, he also developed a side chair in Oregon pine with a rope seat and backrest – a strikingly innovative use of materials at the time, anticipating the interest in honesty and tactility that would define Scandinavian design. These early works show Voltelen’s willingness to challenge tradition, to rethink the chair not as a fixed typology but as an evolving experiment in structure and ergonomics.
Archive Photo: Designmuseum Danmark, Furniture Index
Part 2: The 1936 Model
By the mid-1930s, Voltelen and Vodder refined these ideas into a more resolved form. A 1936 easy chair design reveals the direct lineage to what would later become Copenhagen II. With its sweeping curved base, tall backrest, and suspended leather seat, the chair was both sculptural and functional, merging cabinetmaking precision with architectural presence. Executed in oak, teak or beech with leather upholstery, this model demonstrated the enduring partnership between Voltelen and Vodder. While produced in very limited numbers, it was a bold statement of modernist ideals at a time when Danish furniture was still negotiating its identity between tradition and innovation.
Archive Photo: Designmuseum Danmark, Furniture Index
Part 3: Towards Copenhagen II
Over the following decades, Voltelen continued to refine the concept. A series of prototypes from the late 1930s and 1940s show incremental adjustments: sharper profiles, more angular frames, and a clearer articulation of the suspended leather seat as both structure and ornament. These transitional models marked the shift from experimental one-offs to a more defined, architectural object. By stripping away excess detail and focusing on proportion, Voltelen paved the way for the dramatic clarity of Copenhagen II.
Archive Photos: Designmuseum Danmark, Furniture Index
Part 4: Copenhagen II (1960s)
The Copenhagen II lounge chair, model MV60, was first unveiled at the 1960 Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark. Produced by Niels Vodder in the 1960s and 70s, the chair represents a striking evolution from Voltelen’s earlier 1936 design. Where the original chair was curvilinear and organic, adorned with decorative nailhead trim, the MV60 embraced a sharper, more geometric language. The rear legs sweep backward in a dramatic curve, while the tall leather back and suspended seat form a taut, architectural silhouette.
Distinctive leather straps, integrated into the front legs, serve as armrests – a minimal yet sculptural solution that underscores the chair’s architectural clarity. Executed in oak, beech, mahogany, teak, or maple with natural or cognac leather, the MV60 is both minimalistic and commanding, embodying the principles of Danish modernism at its height.
Archive Photo: Designmuseum Danmark, Furniture Index
Today, Studio Schalling is proud to present an exceptional example of this rare design, produced by Niels Vodder in the 1960s. This version features a black lacquered wood frame paired with cognac saddle leather, its surface bearing the rich patina that only decades of use can impart. The interplay of taut leather and angular wood, combined with the distinctive looped armrests, makes the Copenhagen II as much a piece of architecture as furniture. Both functional and expressive, it remains one of the most coveted of Voltelen’s creations – a testament to his singular contribution to Danish modern design.
Photo: Studio Schalling