CHIEFTAIN CHAIR

The Chieftain chair of 1949 articulates the organic aesthetic that characterised the work of Finn Juhl during the immediate post-war period. Reputedly taking formal inspiration from the utensils and weapons of tribal societies, Juhl created with this design a handmade chair of exceptional sculptural presence. The thinly padded seat and blade-like arms appear to float on the turned and carved frame, offering a subtle formal dialogue between the chair's components. The chair was originally designed for the Cabinetmaker's Guild Exhibition of 1949, and the chair's subsequent title, coined by Juhl, alluded to comments made by King Frederick during the opening of the 1949 exhibition, who commented upon the warrior-like presence of the chair's design. Only seventy-eight chairs were handmade by Juhl's dedicated cabinetmaker, Niels Vodder, the majority with the less expensive teak frames, and of that number the majority were purchased by museums or the Danish Government for use in its embassies.