Børge Mogensen 'Spanish Chair' in Oak and Cognac Leather

Børge Mogensen for Fredericia Stolefabrik, 'Spanish Chair,' oak, leather, brass, Denmark, 1958.

This well-known design by Børge Mogensen has a very strong appearance. The sincere construction and type of upholstery, give the chair a character of its own. Due to the great proportions and well-sized armrests the chair provides great comfort. Mogensen drew inspiration from a trip to Spain in 1958. He modernized the shape, eliminating the elaborate carvings while retaining the important feature: the broad armrests that give the chair character and provide a practical place to put a glass or cup. These chairs are Mogensen's interpretations of a traditional type of chair often found in areas influenced by ancient Islamic culture. A nice patina is visible on the leather seating, emphasizing the rustic character. The seat and backrest are secured to the frame by several brass belts.

Børge Mogensen (1914-1972) was a Danish designer. His designs are defined by being high-quality, simple and functional. Mogensen can be seen as a democratic and idealistic designer. He aimed to solve basic problems in residential living. This meant that he designed for the middle-class and everyday use instead of for the more exclusive costumer. Contrary to his contemporaries in other countries such as Le Corbusier, Mogensen did not work with new modern materials such as steel and glass. Instead he chose to work with tested materials such as leather and wood. Being trained by Kaare Klint, he was very focussed on the human body and his ideal was to create comfortable furniture, not furniture that would end up in a museum. His designs are therefore honest, functional, simple and production friendly. Mogensen was extremely productive: hundreds of his designs went into production in his lifetime.