Arne Jacobsen for R. Wengler

ARNE JACOBSEN (Denmark, 1902–1971) for R. Wengler.
Pair of “Skovsneglen” armchairs, c. 1930–
Rattan.
Shows signs of wear due to age.
Measurements:
The Skovsneglen, whose Danish name literally means “forest snail,” belong to the early stage of Arne Jacobsen’s career and already demonstrate the Danish architect’s extraordinary ability to combine structure, lightness, and ergonomics.The design, also known as the “Paris Chair” (Pariserstol), emerged from a competition organized by the Kurvemagerforeningen, the Danish association of wicker and basketry furniture makers. Jacobsen submitted the chair in search of a lightweight seating solution and won third prize. It was subsequently manufactured by Herman Jørgensen in Hellerup and later by R. Wengler. Its distinctive silhouette, with curved and enveloping lines, explains the curious nickname “Skovsneglen.” The design belongs to a particularly important moment in Jacobsen’s evolution: the architect was experimenting with new forms of furniture and with the possibility of translating Danish craft traditions into a modern language.
The piece is particularly significant because it anticipates some of the principles that would become constants in his later work: formal reduction, visual lightness, and the integration of structure and the human body. Decades later, Jacobsen would develop these concepts using new technologies involving laminated wood and molded materials, giving rise to pieces such as the Ant, Series 7, Egg, and Swan.
An architect and designer, Arne Jacobsen studied for four years at the Copenhagen School of Construction before enrolling 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 Model 3107 chair from 1955—also called the “Chair No. 7”—of which more than five million were sold; it featured alongside Christine Keeler in the iconic film.