Modern Pelican Chair in Sheepskin Upholstery from Finn Juhl, Denmark, 2000s

Details

Description

Pelican chair designed by Finn Juhl in 1940, relaunched in 2001.
Manufactured by House of Finn Juhl in Denmark.

Pelican … Read more Pelican chair designed by Finn Juhl in 1940, relaunched in 2001.
Manufactured by House of Finn Juhl in Denmark.

Pelican chair was probably the one furthest ahead of its time. When it was presented at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1940, it stood out with its unusual shape and sturdy legs.

The characteristic soft and organic shape is almost like a body holding a body. When you sit down, the chair practically gives you a friendly hug. Like many of Finn Juhl’s later designs, the chair offers several comfortable ways to sit.

Materials:
Sheepskin
Wood

Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image.

Finn Juhl was born on January 30, 1912 in Copenhagen. He wished to study art history, however, his father would not allow it. Instead, Finn Juhl began studying architecture at the Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen. Here, he studied under some of the most influential functionalists of his time. Among these was the great architect Vilhelm Lauritzen who hired Finn Juhl at his own studio in 1934 before Finn Juhl had even graduated. Eventually, the work took up all of his time and Finn Juhl never finished his studies. Later in life he always described himself as a self-taught furniture designer.

One of the international highlights of Finn Juhl’s career was designing the complete interior of the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York between 1951 and 1952. His sculptural furniture is widely appreciated all over the world. Today, Finn Juhl is still considered the father of Danish Modern, the design movement from Denmark, that arose during the 1950s in the United States. At the time of his death in 1989, Finn Juhl had become an award-winning and highly respected international furniture artist.

Finn Juhl was greatly inspired by both modernism in art and functionalism in architecture. His genius was cross-pollinating these two fields, thus creating a completely new artistic idiom. Like sculptures, Finn Juhl’s designs are created to stand freely in a room. At the same time, they are developed with a playful insight into the practical function of every detail.

In 2001 House of Finn Juhl trusted with the exclusive rights to manufacture and relaunch Finn Juhl’s sculptural and iconic furniture by Finn Juhl’s widow Hanne Wilhelm Hansen. Today the unique Finn Juhl collection consists of more than 40 classic masterpieces, all of which they manufacture with the utmost respect for the original heritage and strict demands for quality. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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