Iconic Masterpieces Respectfully Reimagined

First created in 1950, Hans J. Wegner’s early designs for Carl Hansen & Søn have proven to be seminal works of Danish Modern Design that remain beloved by collectors today. To celebrate their enduring legacy, Carl Hansen & Søn invited legendary designer llse Crawford to reimagine them through a contemporary lens.

Ilse Crawford has created an earthy new color palette for a limited-edition First Masterpieces collection that features five of Wegner’s most iconic chair designs, including the worldrenowned Wishbone Chair and the woven CH25 Lounge Chair. Lending a fresh perspective to these classic pieces, Crawford dressed them in non-toxic, water-based colors with a more environmentally-friendly footprint than traditional oil paints. The paint’s slightly transparent finish added a nuanced sense of color and texture, allowing the chair’s original oak wood grain to shine through. Central to the collaboration is a rich, matte color palette. Inspired by Per Kirkeby’s Expressionist paintings – whose heavily layered paintings explore the rugged beauty of the Danish landscape – Crawford carefully curated a selection of subdued hues that add depth and complexity to the familiar forms of Wegner’s chairs. Throughout the process, she sought to balance the timeless allure of Wegner’s designs with the sensual expression of these muddy, painterly tones.

For Crawford, the collaboration seemed fitting considering Wegner continually sought out improvement and experimentation in his own work. More than 70 years after his early masterpieces were first crafted, this new iteration pays homage to their lasting beauty. Each piece in the collection works both as a group and independently.

These colors are ingredients for creating an atmosphere. They were not chosen because they match something or because they’re part of any trend. They’re self-contained, instinctively beautiful, they have their own truth, and, therefore, they work everywhere. Ilse Crawford

HOLLYHOCK CLAY BARLEY SLATE FALU TERRACOTTA SEAWEED PEWTER NORTH SEA

The limited-edition Soft Color collection sees Hans J. Wegner's CH24 Wishbone Chair reimagined in a selection of new shades. Made from FSC-certified wood, the chair is painted in an inviting matte finish that makes it even easier to maintain.