Hans J. Wegner gained world renown for his ability to give the old cabinetmaker’s craft a modern and functionally motivated expression. Beyond his work on high quality cabinetmaker’s furniture, he also experimented with modern wood handling technologies such as the moulding of plywood. In 1948 he designed a low chair and a sofa with plywood shells for Fritz Hansen that were both put into production and may be seen as precursors of the Three-Legged Shell Chair. After 1949, Hansen and Wegner had to work hard to keep up with the international demand for modern cabinetmaker’s furniture and were not able to continue their plywood experiments. Wegner revisited the shell chair theme in 1963, when he created several 1:5 chair models to test different underframes. Adding a space between the layers of wood at the peak of the bend mould enabled a very strong construction and added a decorative feature, while the oblique angle of the legs provides stability just as much as a light and graphic appearance. Viewed from the front, the chair’s strictly geometrical structure makes the legs appear to project like radii from the circular expanse of the seat. Like a throne, its distinct form frames and showcases the seated person, although the wide, low seat shell does not dictate a seating position. The upturned edges confer a light, almost floating expression that categorizes the chair as a radical modern design, reminiscent of an Alexander Calder sculpture or an insect poised to take off.
Text: Christian Holmsted Olesen
