Offered by Kunstconsult
Børge Mogensen designed the "Spanish" chair for Fredericia Stolefabrik in 1958 after a journey through Spain. During this trip Mogensen came across a traditional type of chair, based on ancient Islamic culture, with wide armrests and deep seats. He combined these characteristics with his own geometrical precision and the result was a marvelous piece of design which instantly became a design icon. The combination of materials as saddle leather and oak, make these chairs rustic and suitable for every home.
Børge Mogensen "Spanish" chair, designed 1958, produced by Fredericia Stolefabrik. Solid oak with cognac coloured leather. Mogensen's inspiration was a Spanish military commander's chair. This piece was manufactured around 1970.
'The Spanish Chair from 1958 was inspired by a classic Spanish country chair. While on vacation with his family in the summer of 1958, Mogensen was taken by the rural chairs' wide armrests and deep seats. His chair, which did not have the same democratic intention as several of his other designs, became one of his most expensive pieces.
Rectilinear designs became typical in Mogensen's later furniture. He avoided all forms of embellishment and excised anything unnecessary. For him, beauty lay in the simple construction, the wood's thick natural grain, an the thick, cognac-colored leather, which over the years acquired an even more beautiful patina.'
Børge Mogensen: Simpicity and Function, Michael Müller, pp. 212, 214, 215.
In 1958, Mogensen once again used solid wood and saddle leather to create the Spanish Chair for Fredericia. On a journey through Spain, Mogensen had noticed a traditional type of chair with wide armrests, common in areas influenced by ancient Islamic culture. Mogensen combined this notion with his earlier works and signature functionalism. The wooden construction of the Spanish Chair is formed with geometrical precision, achieving a sturdy design with exceptional durability and enduring character. Back home in Denmark, Mogensen presented the Spanish Chair at the Copenhagen Cabinet-makers Guild’s Exhibition. The broad armrests serve as a practical place to place a glass or ashtray, allowing the user to dispense with occasional tables or other furniture from the surrounding area. In doing so he achieved a more open and informal space for relaxing and conversing.
The materials used for The Spanish Chair and Hunting Chair are of the finest selection and execution, from the quarter-sawn solid oak, to the vegetable tanned leathers and brass buckles. The rustic combination of materials develops a special patina that only becomes more stunning with time.
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