Herbert and Jutta Ohl for Lübke

HERBERT (Germany, 1926–2012) & JUTTA OHL for Lübke.
Set of four “Swing” chairs, 1980s.
Polychrome steel.
In good condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with their age and use.
They bear the manufacturer’s stamp.
Measurements: 81 x 45 x 56 cm (x4).
Designed by Herbert and Jutta Ohl for Lübke, these chairs reveal a particularly architectural approach to furniture design. The steel frame, far from being relegated to a purely structural role, takes center stage visually and transforms each chair into a composition of lines, surfaces, and color. The very name “Swing” suggests a dynamic conception of the seat. The chair is conceived as a lightweight and visually active object, a far cry from the heaviness of much traditional furniture. The Science Museum Group has a Swing Chair from 1982 in its collection
Herbert Ohl was one of the German designers and architects most closely associated with the tradition of the Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm (HfG Ulm) and with the renewal of postwar German industrial design.Between 1947 and 1949, he studied painting and graphic arts at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Karlsruhe, and in 1952 he received his degree in architecture. He later worked with the renowned German architect Egon Eiermann. In 1956, he began teaching at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, one of the most influential institutions in the history of 20th-century design. There, he focused on architecture and industrialized construction, and from 1959 onward, he served on the school’s governing body. In 1966, she was appointed rector. Following the closure of the HfG Ulm in 1968, Ohl moved to Milan, where she collaborated with the Italian architect Gino Valle on the renovation of the La Rinascente department store. He later worked as a consultant and designer for companies such as Fiat, Fantoni, Brionvega, Arflex, Wilkhahn, Matteograssi, and Rosenthal. Jutta Ohl’s career is much less well documented in the sources; she was a painter, sculptor, and designer.