Armchair with an angular wooden frame and swooping leather cushions for the seat, back and arms.

1949

Armchair, Chieftain

Designed by: Finn Juhl (1912–1989)

Material: Teak, polyurethane foam, leather upholstery

Produced by: Niels Vodder, Allerød, Denmark

Dimensions: 93 x 101.5 x 89 cm

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, D85.122.1

Named the Chieftain chair perhaps because it resembles a throne, this armchair is both comfortable and structurally complex–a functional sculpture in which the framework and black leather upholstery are carefully balanced. The curved armrests, oval seat and shield-shaped back are shells floating above the teak structure.

Finn Juhl’s furniture, exquisitely crafted by Danish cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, was much admired by advocates of Good Design at midcentury. This chair has continued in production by various manufacturers to the present day.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, photo: Giles Rivest.