Hans J. Wegner for PP Furnitures

HANS J. WEGNER (Denmark, 1914–2007). For PP Furnitures,
“Papa Bear” armchair.
Tufted upholstery.
In very good condition, used solely for display.
Measurements: 98 x 88 x 90 cm; 39 cm (seat height).

The Papa Bear was Wegner’s first design for PP Møbler, and that collaboration eventually evolved into a professional relationship spanning decades. The name wasn’t simply a whim of Wegner’s. The name “Papa Bear” became popular after a journalist described the sensation of sitting in it as being hugged by a teddy bear. This also explains the characteristic shape of the armrests, which resemble two large “paws” embracing the user.
Hans J. Wegner was a leading figure in furniture design, whose ideas contributed to the international popularity of mid-20th-century Danish design. His work belongs to the modernist school, characterized by a particular emphasis on functionality. He began his training at a very young age as an apprentice to cabinetmaker H. F. Stahlberg. He soon developed a particular fondness for working with wood, and his time in the cabinetmaking workshop allowed him to experiment with different types and designs. At the age of seventeen, he completed his apprenticeship, though he remained in the workshop for another three years, until he was drafted into the army. After his military service, he enrolled in a technical school, then at the Danmarks Designskole, where he studied under O. Mølgaard Nielsen, and at the Academy of Architecture in Copenhagen. In the Danish capital, he became involved with the Carpenters’ Guild’s furniture exhibitions, where he began displaying his creations in 1927. During these years, Wegner collaborated with master cabinetmakers such as J. Hansen, L. Pontoppidan, N. Vodder, J. Kjaer, A. J. Iversen, Moos, and R. Rasmussen, as well as with the leading Danish architects of the time, including K. Klint, V. Lauritzen, O. Wanscher, and M. Voltelen. The annual exhibitions gave the young cabinetmaker a sense of what could be achieved through the combination of design and craftsmanship, which led him to devote himself fully to design. Even in his earliest pieces, Wegner demonstrated an interest in the concept of “stripping antique chairs of their external style and revealing their pure structure.” Throughout his career, this designer was honored with awards such as the Lunning Prize in 1951, the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale that same year, the Prince Eugen Medal in Sweden, and the Danish Exkersberg Medal. In 1959, he was named an honorary royal designer for industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London. Today, his designs are featured in collections such as those of MoMA in New York and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich.