The collection
Wooden armchair with slender legs, a wrapped cane back, and a woven cane seat.
1949

Armchair, Round

Designed by
Hans Wegner (1914–2007)
Material
Teak, alum caning
Produced by
Johannes Hansen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Dimensions
75.9 x 58.2 x 52.7 cm

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, D85.156.1

Midcentury Scandinavian design is characterized by a combination of handcraftsmanship and industrial production. Danish architect and designer Hans Wagner produced some of the most memorable designs reflecting this aesthetic, including the Round chair seen here, which the American magazine Interiors called the most beautiful chair in the world in 1950.

Wegner created simple, elegant forms in beautiful natural materials, in this case teak and caning. Wegner’s chair could harmonize with older furniture and interiors as well as with austere contemporary designs. The chair continues in production to the present day.

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