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El Greco Contracts LTD

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The Whisky Chair was designed by Finn Juhl in 1948 and is characterized by his artistic sense of shape, function, and detail. The chair is produced in American walnut and is upholstered by hand in leather and/or textile. Furthermore, the chair is crafted with a handmade brass tray and characteristic brass feet. Upon purchase, customers will receive a unique mouth-blown glass crafted by glassmaker Mikkel Yerst.

Finn Juhl played a groundbreaking role in the Danish Modern design movement as his sculptural furniture manifested Denmark's position as a pioneering country within furniture design.

The exclusive chair was originally presented at the Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition in 1948, as part of Finn Juhl's concept "The Living Room of an Art Collector", but was not put into production. Finn Juhl always dared to stand alone and was unconcerned about the critics who found his designs too extravagant.

Upon purchase, customers will receive a unique mouth-blown glass crafted by glassmaker Mikkel Yerst. Finn Juhl's original drawing does not depict the glass, meaning that the chair itself has served as the inspiration for the powerful shape of the specially designed glass.

The Whisky Chair is not only extravagant, it is also playfully provocative - perhaps even borderline politically incorrect. The right armrest unfolds organically towards the end, making way for a handmade half-moon shaped brass tray. The tray can unfold into a full circle where a hole in the brass surface is shaped to hold a glass.

Finn Juhl's original watercolour drawing from 1948 shows how two chairs fit perfectly together, as the right and left armrests are asymmetrical. The Whisky Chair is overwhelmingly comfortable and invites you to partake in a special moment of immersion and enjoyment.

About Designer
Finn Juhl

As one of the many Danish architects in the 1950’s, Finn Juhl stands out as one of the most successful international breakthroughs. To date he is one of Denmark’s most famous architects, known for his bold, sculptural forms and ultra-refined detailing. Surprisingly, unlike his fellow classmates, Juhl entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Architecture in Copenhagen in 1930 without any experience as a craftsman.


What he lacked in structural experience, he made up for in vision, crafting his designs from an artist’s mindset. Juhl’s forms balance sculptural and elegant expression with functionality.

 

This combination energized traditional Danish Design, exemplifying the quality, craftsmanship and beauty that helped the country become a leader in modern home furnishings in the 1940-50’s.

Juhl’s work had a great influence on the following generations of Scandinavian design. He went on to design the Trusteeship Council Chamber in the United Nations Headquarters in New York as a gift from Denmark to the UN and is renowned for stating, “One cannot create happiness with beautiful objects, but one can ruin quite a lot of happiness with bad ones.”

 

Born: 1912
Education: Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
Commissions: Trusteeship Council Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York