Design Icon | The Spanish Chair

With the Spanish Chair Mogensen expanded upon his work with solid oak and saddle leather. The chair was launched in 1958 as part of an innovative living space exhibition, in which all tables were removed from the floor to create an open living space.

In 1950, the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild’s exhibition presented furniture under the theme ”A Hunting Lodge”, in which Mogensen had, for the first time, designed furniture using a solid wood framework with saddle leather forming the seat and back. This methodology was inspired from medieval Spanish furniture construction, something that Mogensen would return to time and time again.

One of the more extraordinary pieces from Mogensen’s presentation was The Hunting Chair. The design reflected a distinct modernism of the time, with the front seat edge height just 30 cm above the floor.

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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