George Nelson

GEORGE NELSON (United States, 1908 - 1986) for Vitra.
Swag leg" desk, 1958.
In walnut wood, formica and chromed metal.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Restored.
Measurements: 87 x 99 x 73 cm.

The "Swag Leg" desk, conceived by George Nelson in the late 1950s, is one of the most refined expressions of his search for structural lightness and intelligent functionality. Its name alludes to the metal forming technique (swaging) that made it possible to create the unmistakable chrome legs: slender elements, with an organic profile, that open smoothly into two curved supports on each side. These legs, without edges and with fluid transitions, give the desk a dynamic, almost weightless presence.

A white formica top rests on this diaphanous base, framed by walnut sides and back that add warmth and a rich texture in contrast to the metal. At waist level, a thin strip houses two light drawers, conceived as sorting trays: functional spaces for stationery, documents or small accessories, designed with the minimum possible thickness to maintain the visual cleanliness of the whole.

The top is complemented by a raised shelf, also in formica, supported by the walnut back panel and divided by black slats that act as vertical dividers. This structure generates additional recesses for tidying up and keeping work material close at hand.

The result is a design of great formal clarity, where each element has been reduced to the essentials without losing elegance. The combination of metal, wood and laminate surfaces is evidence of Nelson's interest in combining industrial precision with domestic warmth.

George Nelson graduated in architecture from Yale University (1928), and later studied art in Rome. He specialized in industrial, interior and exhibition design, and was, along with Charles and Ray Eames, one of the founding fathers of American modernism. While in Italy he traveled the length and breadth of Europe, meeting a number of pioneers of the modern movement, including Mies van der Rohe. In 1935 he joined the editorial staff of "Architectural Forum", a magazine of which he would first become associate editor until 1943, and then editorial advisor until 1949. During this period he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright on a special issue of the magazine, which marked Wright's return to the scene at the time. Nelson defended, sometimes fiercely, the principles of the modern movement, even irritating many of his colleagues who, as industrial designers, made, according to Nelson, too many concessions to the commercial forces of industry. The American believed that the work of a designer should serve to improve the world because, in his view, nature is already perfect, and man spoiled it by creating things that did not really follow natural rules. In 1945 Nelson began working for the firm Herman Miller, and it was then that he really began to design furniture, occupying the position of design director. That same year Nelson's first collection for the firm was published, beginning a collaboration that would result in some of the most famous furniture designs of the 20th century. Today his designs can be seen in the Vitra Museum of Design (he began collaborating with the firm in 1957) and the MoMA in New York, among many other public and private collections.