Hans Jørgensen Wegner is one of the biggest names in Danish design history. Despite having been created in the 1940s and 50s, many of his well-known classics continue to gain recognition all over the world and are in demand at auction. With a background as both a cabinetmaker and an architect, Hans J. Wegner possessed an innate feel for the wood’s qualities and a unique sense of design. His commercial breakthrough as a designer came in the years following the Second World War.
500 Famous Danish Furniture Classics and Kennedy on Hans J. Wegner’s Chair
Wegner managed to connect idea and execution to create some of the most famous pieces of Danish furniture. His goal was to make the furniture simple, to bring the wood to life – and imbue it with spirit and vitality. Known as the “Chair Master”, he designed up to 500 chairs during his career, many of which are described as masterpieces: “China Chair”, “The Round Chair/The Chair”, “Valet Chair”, “Papa Bear Chair”, “Y-chair”, “Dolphin Chair” and “Flag Halyard Chair” are just some of the pieces that have secured Hans J. Wegner a place in international design history. In 1941, Hans J. Wegner began his collaboration with cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen, which led to the development of a number of Wegner’s best-known pieces. At the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1949, Wegner presented what is probably his best-known chair, the Round Chair, kicking off Danish Modern.
The real milestone was the mention of Danish design in the American “Interiors” magazine in 1950, when the Round Chair was referred to as the world’s most beautiful chair. It also helped that John F. Kennedy sat on it during the world’s first televised debate between US presidential candidates in 1960. Not only did this signal the start of Wegner’s own world fame, but it was also an international breakthrough for Danish design in general. The export of Wegner’s furniture increased exponentially throughout the 1950s and 60s, and around half of the furniture that he exhibited at Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition went into production. Wegner stopped designing furniture in 1993.
Hans J. Wegner and “Danish Modern”
The Danish design narrative is often rooted in the fruitful pairings of skilled cabinetmakers and creative furniture designers, who, based on theories formulated in the 1920s and 30s, became popular after 1945. At this time, Danish architects joined forces with cabinetmakers to create unique pieces of furniture, lauded throughout the world for their simplicity, genius, sublime natural materials and an aesthetic rooted in a strong tradition of craftsmanship. Designers such as Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Poul Kjærholm and Hans J. Wegner made their mark in what has since been dubbed the golden age of Danish furniture design. A group that to this day represents the very essence of modern Danish design with a distinctive, sculptural functionalism.
Wegner collaborated with a number of furniture manufacturers including cabinetmaker Andreas Tuck, AP Stolen, Carl Hansen & Søn, Getama, Ry Møbler, Fritz Hansen, PP Møbler, Erik Jørgensen and Plan Møbler. This strong Danish design tradition formed the basis for developments in interior design, shaping the way people furnished and decorated their homes, and reaching its heyday towards the end of the 1960s. The key words were quality, craftsmanship, durability, and natural light, materials and colours.
At Exhibition With Hans J. Wegner
Almost all major design museums in the world, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Designmuseum Danmark in Copenhagen to Die Neue Sammlung in Munich, exhibit Wegner’s furniture. Wegner had already attracted attention back in 1937 when he participated in the Cabinetmakers’ Guild’s annual exhibition and won awards for his tea set, silverware and chandelier, among other things. In 2014, on the occasion of Wegner’s “100th birthday”, both Kunstmuseet in Tønder and Designmuseum Danmark held retrospective exhibitions. Today, Wegner has his own museum – Museum Wegner – in the old water tower in his childhood town of Tønder. In recognition of his great importance, Tønder Municipality presents an award in Wegner’s name every year. The aim is to spread awareness of Tønder as Wegner's birthplace and his association with the town, as well as to draw attention to the art museum Kunstmuseet in Tønder as a mediator of Wegner’s work.
Hans J. Wegner’s Nominations and Awards
1951 – The Lunning Prize
1951 – Grand Prix at La Triennale di Milano
1956 – The Eckersberg Medal
1959 – Honorary Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London
1961 – The Prince Eugen Medal
1969 – Honorary Royal Designer for Industry
1980 – The Furniture Prize
1982 – The C. F. Hansen Medal
1995 – Honorary Member of the Academy of Fine Arts
1997 – The 8th International Design Award, Osaka, Japan
1997 – Honorary Doctorate at the Royal College of Art in London
Works by Hans J. Wegner for Sale at Bruun Rasmussen
At Bruun Rasmussen, we have works for sale that arouse interest and are relevant to buyers and collectors. Here, you can keep an eye on the works by Hans J. Wegner that you can bid on right now.
If you’re a seller, you can read our guide on how to sell art at our Live and Online Auctions here.
