Modern Icons :The Papa Bear Chair 1951

Hans Wegner, the legendary Danish furniture-maker, designed more than five hundred chairs during his long and illus­trious career. In the 1950’s, Wegner was one of a small group of Danish designers who created a new look that came to be known as Danish Modern. He always worked with natural mate­rials like wood and wool, and his furniture reflects both the natural world and abstract art.

While most of Hans J. Wegner's 500 chair designs were inspired by history, this wasn't always the case. The Flag Halyard Chair, which is now available from Iconic Interiors, was the result of a family trip to the beach - while one of his latest chairs - the Papa Bear Chair - takes its inspiration from the humble teddy bear.

For most, the teddy bear will be associated with comfort; of having something to cuddle when we were children. With the Papa Bear Chair, it's the chair that's doing the comforting; with itsoversized nature, foam seat cushion and the arms and back stuffed with natural fibres for extra padding, it's a chair that is designed to envelop you completely to make you feel luxuriously cosy. That's not all; Papa Bear also features big bear arms that embrace you when you sit: the upholstery providing a stark contrast from the solid wood "paws" at the end of each arm.

While much of the era's modernist furniture was designed in a style that was bold and stark, a number of Wegner's designs demonstrated that modernism and a sense of cosy relaxation could sit side by side in the same piece. There's no denying that this 1950s design was ahead of its time (Wegner was one of the driving forces in the Danish Modern movement that took place in the 1950s and 1960s), but Wegner proved that comfort and style could work in harmony together.

With its seat angled in order to recline, its high back and luxurious padding, the Papa Bear Chair isbuilt for comfort. However, it's clear in the detailing that it was also designed for style; everything from the solid wood legs to the button tufted chair back comes together to create an armchair that isbeautiful from every angle.

REFERENCE: https://iconicinteriors.com/

Note that The designer name and his products was mentioned in this article to demonstrate  the history of furniture design and it doesn't  represent any of the items sold in this store.  

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