Arne Jacobsen & Piet Hein, table for Fritz Hansen

ARNE JACOBSEN (Denmark, 1902–1971) & PIET HEIN (Denmark, 1905–1996) for Fritz Hansen.
Rectangular table with a laser-cut black tabletop and chrome-plated steel tension legs.
Manufactured by Fritz Hansen in 1996, with the brand’s label.
Some signs of wear, given its age.
Measurements: 80 x 120 cm. Height: 71 cm.

This dining table is a design by Arne Jacobsen and Piet Hein, known as the Superellipse or Supercircular table series, manufactured by Fritz Hansen. The chrome legs are called “Span Legs.” With its remarkable simplicity and purity, this table is one of the most iconic examples of Danish design, thanks precisely to its legs—composed of three chrome-plated steel beams that converge at a rectangular base. Lightness, versatility, and originality are further enhanced by the elliptical shape of the tabletop.

Piet Hein studied at the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen and at the Technical University of Denmark. After World War II, he collaborated with Scandinavian architects in the search for a new structural form that was not square—a shape that had long since been surpassed—which led him to develop the theory of the super-ellipse, which soon became the hallmark of modern Scandinavian architecture.

For his part, Arne Jacobsen (architect and designer) studied for four years at the Copenhagen School of Construction, then enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Among his most notable architectural works are St. Catherine’s College in Oxford, the SAS Hotel in Copenhagen, the headquarters of the National Bank of Denmark in the same city, and the Royal Danish Embassy in London. As a designer, he created furniture that has become iconic, including the “Ant” chair (1951) and the “Swan” and “Egg” chairs designed for the SAS Hotel. He is also known for his 1955 Model 3107 chair, also called the “Chair No. 7,” of which more than five million were sold; it features alongside Christine Keeler in Lewis Morley’s iconic portrait. Another of his contributions to popular culture in the media is his designer cutlery set, featuring spoons for both hands, which was chosen for the film “2001: A Space Odyssey” because of its futuristic appearance. The key to the success of Jacobsen’s work lies in its elegant and minimalist design, and today his pieces can be found in collections such as those at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the MoMA in New York, among many others.