Hans Wegner armchair

This armchair, designed by Hans J. Wegner and produced by the esteemed Danish cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen, was first presented at the 1947 Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Art in Copenhagen (now Designmuseum Danmark). It represents a foundational work of the Danish modern movement, combining traditional craftsmanship with an organic modernist vocabulary.

The chair is constructed from solid oak with a warm, medium-brown finish that reveals a fine, straight grain and moderate figure throughout the frame. The seat and backrest are formed of tightly woven cane in a basket weave pattern, providing a resilient and breathable surface. The combination of natural oak and cane contributes to a visual and tactile warmth, emphasizing the chair’s honesty in materials and hand-executed craftsmanship.

The chair’s form is architecturally balanced, with gently curving arms that taper smoothly into the vertical supports. The armrests are sculpted to provide ergonomic support, while their integration into the upper frame contributes to the seamless structural logic typical of Wegner’s designs. The rear legs are subtly splayed, offering visual tension and stability. The joinery is precise and mostly concealed, relying on traditional cabinetmaking techniques that highlight the chair’s artisanal origins.

Wegner, one of the leading figures of 20th-century Scandinavian design, is known for his pursuit of design purity and functional elegance. This chair was conceived at a pivotal moment in his career, during which he was exploring new forms of seating that integrated both traditional Nordic aesthetics and the emerging modernist ideals of postwar Europe. His collaboration with Johannes Hansen was essential to the realization of many of his early masterpieces, as Hansen’s workshop had the technical capabilities and craftsmanship necessary to translate Wegner’s sophisticated designs into refined furniture.

The chair remains in good vintage condition, with signs of natural aging and a consistent patina in the oak. The cane weave is taut and intact, with only minor toning and surface variation typical for the material’s age.

Dimensions are 60 cm wide, 56 cm deep, and 92 cm high, with a seat height of 43 cm and arm height of 66 cm. In imperial units, this corresponds approximately to 23.6 inches wide, 22 inches deep, 36.2 inches high, with a seat height of 16.9 inches and armrest height of 26 inches.