Mid2Mod: Spanish chair

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Børge Mogensen

Børge Mogensen (1914-1972) was born in Aalborg, Denmark. He attended the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts. His mentor there was Kaare Klint, whose simple and functional furniture he admired. He later worked as Klint's teaching assistant at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

He apprenticed as a cabinetmaker under Klint during his time at the Royal Academy and became head of design at the Danish co-op FDB in 1942 after receiving his degree in architecture. He opened his own design office in 1950.

Under Klint he developed an appreciation for American Shaker furniture, which they both admired for its utilitarian design. Much of Mogensen's work was based on Shaker prototypes, and he became known for interpreting traditional forms into modernist designs.

Some of Mogensen's best known designs are the 1945 Spokeback sofa, 1950 Hunting chair and the 1959 Spanish chair.

danish-furniture.com and denmark50.com