TEFAF NEW YORK 2024
NEW YORK 2024
MAY 10 -14
PARK AVENUE ARMORY
BOOTH 320
TEFAF
ORIGINAL WORKS OF NORDIC DESIGN
FRITS HENNINGSEN, 1889-1965
Denmark
High-back sofa, 1936
Oak, leather and brass
Made by Frits Henningsen
An uncompromising craftsman
Cabinetmaker Frits Henningsen (1889-1965) was a remarkable figure in the history of Danish design. As a traditional craftsman, who strived to sustain the conventional methods of furniture-making, he strongly believed that the craftsman should possess an artistic understanding of the design process. Henningsen acknowledged the unique opportunities of a close collaboration between architects and craftsmen – an alliance that was highly topical at the time. However, this could only be successful if the architect understood the technical possibilities of the material. Henningsen therefore believed that the best furniture emerged when the cabinetmaker designed and executed the pieces himself.
Henningsen completed his training as a cabinetmaker in 1911 at the age of 22, having apprenticed for one of the most recognized cabinetmakers of the time I.P. Mørck. During his training, he spent time at the Technical School, where he was taught by Kaare Klint. This encounter had a great influence on Henningsen's development as a designer and provided him with an incredible stylistic insight. After completing his education, he travelled around Europe to work and gather inspiration from international styles such as French Empire, Rococo and British 17th Century furniture. Throughout his profession, he developed his own original way of reinterpreting historical styles. The high-back sofa, designed in 1936 is a refined example of how he combines tradition and modernity. The outline has a classical feel, yet its slender simplicity endows it with a unique modern touch.
Even though he greatly appreciated the masters who taught him, Henningsen always knew that he wanted to take a different approach to the art of craftsmanship. Considering himself an idealist, he deliberately took on a practical job, to promote the importance and appreciation of modern, Danish furniture design. In 1915, he returned to Copenhagen and opened his own workshop and furniture store, where he was mostly occupied with commissioned pieces for private customers. Henningsen’s methodology was centered around the home, and he drew much inspiration from conversations with his clients to better understand their needs and subsequently accommodate the finished piece.
The sculptural armchair in solid Cuban mahogany and beautifully patinated Niger leather testifies to his impeccable skills as a cabinetmaker and incredible attention to detail. The soft, curved lines alludes to the ideals of the past in a familiar, yet distinctively modern idiom.
FRITS HENNINGSEN, 1889-1965
Denmark
A rare armchair, 1936
Cuban mahogany, Niger leather and brass
Made by Frits Henningsen
ARNE JACOBSEN, 1902-1971
Denmark
Drawer units, 1958
Wengé, Formica and steel
Made by Weber & Asmussen
Provenance: The SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen
Interior from the SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen
BIRGER KAIPIAINEN, 1915-1988
Finland Dish, 1960s
Glazed stoneware
Made by Arabia
MARIANNE RICHTER, 1916 -2010
Sweden Rug ’Strandstenar’, 1947
Wool
Made by Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB
327 x 238 cm | 128,7” x 93,7”
POUL HENNINGSEN, 1894-1967
Denmark
Table lamp, 1927
Nickle-plated metal and painted copper
Made by Louis Poulsen
BIRGER KAIPIAINEN, 1915-1988
Finland
Dish, 1960s
Glazed stoneware
Made by Arabia
KAARE KLINT, 1888-1954
Denmark Desk, c. 1931
Cuban mahogany, Niger leather and brass
Made by Rud. Rasmussen
Provenance: Architect Palle Suenson
Reinventing tradition
As an architect, furniture designer and Professor at the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Kaare Klint (1888-1954) established the principles of modern Danish furniture, by combining a profound appreciation of traditional construction techniques with a modernist emphasis on function and a rejection of applied ornaments. Klint emerged as an architect during a tumultuous and transitional time, where many artists tried to bridge the gap between the past and the future. Despite this aesthetic upheaval, which continued into the 1940s, Klint managed to stay true to his principles. In an article published in 1930, he emphasizes the importance of tradition - “in aversion to everything old, one loses the overview and excludes the best help, that is, to build on the experiences that have been summed up over centuries. The problems are not all that new, and many have already been solved”. One of his most successful pieces “The Red Chair” designed in 1927 for the lecture hall at the Kunstindustimuseum (Design Museum) in Copenhagen, was inspired by 18th Century English chairs, but instead of the traditional wooden, carved back, Klint preferred a solid, upholstered back. In 1929 the chair was exhibited at the Danish National Pavilion for the Exposición Internacional de Barcelona and is also referred to as the Barcelona chair.“The Red Chair” is a refined reinvention of the past, created in perfect proportion whilst eliminating any superficial decorations and instead allowing subtle details such as the profiling on the legs to stand out.
Despite his appreciation of the past, Klint was highly influenced by the functionalistic demands of modernity, avoiding flamboyant artistic expressions in favour of pure, simple forms. The present desk is a beautiful testament to Klint’s consistent idiom. Like “The Red Chair”, the frame is executed in Cuban mahogany with a top in original Niger leather. Both materials were favoured by Klint for their strength and rich colour, which grows more beautiful with time. The geometric outline of the desk exudes a modest beauty, yet the substantial framework of the two drawer units imbues it with a strong, monumental presence. The desk was commissioned by one of Klint’s contemporaries, architect Palle Suenson (1904-1987), who is likewise one of the great Danish modernist architects of the 20th Century. Like Klint, Suenson was employed as a professor at the Royal Academy, and the two architects briefly worked together in 1950 when Suenson was appointed to oversee the restoration of Schæffergården – a historic manor house north of Copenhagen. In 1920, Klint was selected for the same project, and when it became Suensons time to modernise the building, he made sure to honour the initial renewal in close consultation with Klint. The desk was used in Suesons own home and has since been inherited by his family.
Beyond Klint’s, accomplishments as an architect and furniture designer, is his instrumental part in establishing The Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Academy in 1924. Through 30 years of persistent and selfless work, Klint succeded in educating and inspiring an entire generation of furniture designers, who, based on his principles, laid the foundation of Danish modern furniture design.
KAARE KLINT, 1888-1954
Denmark
Set of ten ’Red Chairs’, 1927
Cuban mahogany, Niger leather and brass
Made by Rud. Rasmussen
ALVAR AALTO, 1898 -1976
Finland
JEAN-JAQUES BARUËL, 1923-2010
Denmark
Table lamp, c. 1972
Brass and painted metal
Made by Valaistustyö Oy
Designed exclusively for Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum
1915-1988
BIRGER KAIPIAINEN, Finland Dish, 1960s Glazed stoneware Made by Arabia
HANS J. WEGNER, 1914 -2007
Denmark
’Valet’ chair, 1953
Pine, teak, brass and leather
Made by Johannes Hansen
KAREN CLEMMENSEN, 1917-2001
EBBE CLEMMENSEN, 1917-2003
Denmark
Chandelier, 1954
Brass, partly painted
Designed for Rødby City Hall
Original sketch for Rødby Rådhus, Karen & Ebbe Clemmensen
TAPIO WIRKKALA, 1915 -1985
Finland
’Iceberg’ vase, 1955
Crystal glass
Made by Iittala
HANS J. WEGNER, 1914 -2007
Denmark Lounge chair, 1968
Painted wood, halyard, linen and brass
Made by Johannes Hansen
ALVAR AALTO, 1898 -1976
Finland
Pair of pendants, c. 1962
Brass and painted metal
Made by Valaistustyö Oy
Alvar Aalto, 1962
BIRGER KAIPIAINEN, 1915-1988
Finland Dish, 1960s
Glazed stoneware
Made by Arabia
CARL-AXEL ACKING, 1910-2001
Sweden
Wall lamp, 1940
Brass, partly painted
Made by Bröderna Malmströms Metallvarufabrik
BERNT PETERSEN, 1937-2017
Denmark
Sideboard, c. 1970
Mahogany, oak and brass
Made by WørtsADGA ÖSTERBERG, 1891 -1987
Sweden Tapestry, 1950s
Wool
Made by Agda Österberg
238 x 117 cm | 93,7” X 46”
Pair of easy chairs, 1950 Teak and textile
Sense of form
1940 was a pivotal year for Finn Juhl. At the annual Copenhagen Cabinetmaker’s Guild Exhibition, he presented the remarkable ‘Pelican’ lounge set which caused quite a stir with the press and the general public. Many of Juhl’s contemporaries were trained under Professor Kaare Klint, who established the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1924 and is considered the founding father of modern Danish furniture design.
The Klintian school practiced the mantra form follows function, resulting in extraordinarily refined furniture. However, this was also a stringent and highly functionalistic approach to furniture design, that perhaps most importantly did not support the free form. As the Klintian approach progressed, many of the young architects naturally positioned themselves in close dialogue with this tradition. Finn Juhl was anything but a traditionalist. From the very beginning, he gravitated towards the experimental idioms of abstract art, and believed that furniture should be more than functional. His presentation in 1940 showcased an early indication of what later became his world-renowned sculptural and organic style and positioned him as a radical representative of Danish modernism.
A circular coffee table (p. 51) was presented alongside the chairs to complete the set. The table is an extraordinarily elegant piece that is perfectly proportioned and excellently balances the voluptuous frame of the chairs. The solid Cuban mahogany and club-shaped legs provide a complimentary weightiness to balance its petite size and is the perfect testament to Juhl’s bold approach to modernism.
With the Pelican lounge set, Juhl opened the door to a freer more voluptuous version of modernism strongly influenced by the modern sculptures of the time. He broke with the notion that form must follow function, allowing form to play the main character, by designing several expressive and sculptural pieces, regenerating Danish furniture design and paving the way for the international breakthrough of modernist Danish furniture.
The Pelican table is a significant piece as it is one of his earliest expressions of organic modernism, perfectly illustrating his sensitive qualities as an artist and designer. The table was never put into production, and the present table is one of only two known examples. It was specially made for a Danish collector, who was personally acquainted with cabinetmaker Niels Vodder.
FINN JUHL, 1912-1989
Denmark
’Pelican’ coffee table, 1940 Cuban mahogany Made by Niels Vodder
ALVAR AALTO, 1898 -1976
Finalnd
Pair of floor lamps, c. 1955
Brass, painted metal and leather
Made by Valaistustyö Oy
TAPIO WIRKKALA, 1915 -1985
Finland
Leaf dish, 1950s
Laminated birch
BIRGER KAIPIAINEN, 1915-1988
Finland Dish, 1960s
Glazed stoneware
Made by Arabia
Henningsen, 1962
Poul
POUL HENNINGSEN, 1894-1967
Denmark
Table lamp, 1927
Brass and painted glass Made by Louis Poulsen
HANS J. WEGNER, 1914 -2007
Denmark Bench, 1953
Solid pine
Made by Johannes Hansen
Dansk Møbelkunst Gallery
Aldersrogade 6C, 1
DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark
+45 3332 3837
info@dmk.dk
www.dmk.dk
copyright: Dansk Møbelkunst ApS 2024
