Hans J. Wegner

Hans Jørgen Wegner (1914-2007) is one of the key figures in the history of Danish design, considered by many to be the best chair designer of the entire twentieth century. He has designed over 500 chairs in his career, including models with immortal fame such as the very famous Wishbone Chair. The son of a shoemaker, Wegner was trained as a cabinetmaker and remained tied to the use of wood throughout his career. Strongly influenced by the models of the Scandinavian artisan tradition, he subjected the heritage of tradition to a continuous process of purification and simplification, making the shapes more harmonious and organic and pursuing perfect functionality. After working for some years in Arne Jacobsen's studio, he collaborated often during the war years also with his great friend Børge Mogensen. His greatest successes came from the 1950s and from his union with the Carl Hansen & Søn company, but his collaborations with the brands PP Møbler, Fritz Hansen, Erik Jørgensen, Fredericia and Getama have also left an indelible mark in the history of design.