Hans J. Wegner

(Danish, 1914–2007)

Hans J. Wegner was a prolific and influential Danish furniture designer. He is credited with consistently merging innovative aesthetics with practical function in his nearly 500 chair designs, including the iconic Peacock Chair (1947) and the Hoop Chair (1965). Wegner’s unique style was dubbed as Organic Functionality by historians and critics, characterized by his use of traditional joinery techniques and elegant sculpted elements. Born on April 2, 1914 in Tønder, Denmark, he worked as apprentice to the cabinetmaker workshop H.F. Stahlberg at an early age, he later attended both the Danish School of Arts and Crafts and the Architectural Academy in Copenhagen. Wegner also worked for the architect Arne Jacobsen and the seminal Modernist designer Johannes Hansen before starting his own company. Today, his works are included in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Copenhagen Museum of Art, and the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York, among others. Wegner died on January 26, 2007 in Copenhagen, Denmark.