Arne Vodder

ARNE VODDER (Denmark, 1926-2009) for Sibast.
Chair with armrests. Design from the 1960s.
In rosewood and black leather upholstery.
Measurements: 79 x 60 x 50 cm; 45 cm (seat height).

This chair, designed by Arne Vodder, is a piece of refined elegance and formal balance. Made of rosewood, it stands out for the warmth of its tone and the natural beauty of its grain, which gives character to its surface.

The finely tapered legs extend fluidly into the armrests, which are joined to them by a subtle transition that demonstrates an exceptional mastery of woodworking. The armrests, with their flat lines and softly rounded corners, provide a sense of fluidity and visual serenity.

The design is completed by lateral crosspieces slightly raised from the floor, which reinforce the structure without detracting from its lightness, and a highly expressive openwork backrest, composed of a wooden board with corners accentuated in a darker tone. The delicately protruding top gives the whole a distinctive and balanced presence.

Arne Vodder was born in Denmark in 1926. He trained as a cabinetmaker and architect and studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where he graduated in 1947. He received training from the influential architect and designer Finn Juhl, who also became a close friend and business partner. Vodder founded his own architecture and design studio with architect Anton Borg in 1950. Together they designed furniture and several low-cost houses. Vodder and Borg collaborated until the 1970s. In addition to exhibitions in his native country, Vodder also exhibited in Stockholm, Brussels, London, Zurich and New York. Arne Vodder was very successful abroad, and especially in the 1950s and 1960s his furniture could be found in Jimmy Carter's White House, Pope Paul VI's Rome, President Anwar Sadat's Cairo, the UN in Geneva, and in offices of international banks, airlines, as well as embassies and hotels around the world. Vodder worked with several respected brands throughout his career and with the furniture company Sibast did especially well in the U.S. market.