Arne Jacobsen, Ant chairs for Fritz Hansen

ARNE JACOBSEN (Denmark, 1902 - 1971) for FRITZ HANSEN.
Pair of Ant chairs, series 3100, design 1952.
Steel frame. Seats and backs in wood.
Edition 2001.
With Fritz Hansen label.
Measurements: 78.5 x 41.5 cm.

The Ant chair, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1952 for the Danish firm Fritz Hansen, is one of the most important milestones of industrial design in the twentieth century. It was the forerunner of the famous Series 7 chair and changed furniture manufacturing forever. Its technical innovation lies in the so-called "monoblock", since the backrest and seat are made from a single sheet of molded plywood. It is worth noting that it was ? specifically designed to be easily stacked, making it the ideal solution for modern public spaces.

An architect and designer, Arne Jacobsen studied for four years at the Copenhagen School of Construction, then entered the Faculty of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Among his most outstanding 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 has created furniture that has become classics, 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 "Chair number 7", of which more than five million copies were sold, starring alongside Christine Keeler in Lewis Morley's iconic portrait. His other contribution to popular culture in the media is his designer cutlery, with spoons for both hands, which were chosen for the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" for their futuristic look. The key to the success of Jacobsen's work lies in its elegant and essential design, and today we can find them in collections such as those of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London or the MoMA in New York, among many others.
The Danish firm Fritz Hansen, founded in 1872, manufactures original, unique, functional and innovative contemporary design furniture. It manufactures its products in its facilities in the north of Copenhagen, making each piece in close cooperation with designers and architects of international prestige. Its collection includes the EggChair and Swan armchairs, the Series 7 chair, the Ant chair and the Oxford chair by designer Arne Jacobsen, as well as tables and armchairs designed by Danish designers PietHein and Poul Kjaerholm.