Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Although prolific Swedish architect and designer Mats Theselius moves freely between creating furniture, lighting, objects, installations, exhibitions, set designs, and more, he is perhaps best known for his innovative armchairs. Described by critics as “surprising and ingenious,” Theselius is responsible for some of the most noteworthy furniture designs of the 1980s and 1990s.
Born in 1956 in Stockholm, Theselius attended the city’s prestigious Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design), where he studied Interior Architecture. After graduating in 1984, he worked at various architecture firms in Stockholm.
In 1985, Theselius debuted a cylindrical club chair upholstered with elk leather. The chair’s unique, molded curved frame, which served as a backrest and armrests, became a signature design characteristic of many of Theselius’s seating pieces. He partnered with entrepreneur Sven Lundh, and Lundh’s company, Källemo, produced a limited-edition variation of this seat, the Älgskinnsfåtöljen chair, in 1991. The Iron/Suede lounge chair followed in 1994.
Another iconic Theselius piece is the National Geographic bookcase. Made of beech with glass doors and brass detailing, the bookcase features shelves sized to accommodate 25 years' worth of National Geographic magazines. For its debut in 1988, Theselius painted the bookcase the same recognizable yellow color that typically frames the cover of the publication.
While working on furniture design and other projects, Theselius served as a professor at the HDK – Academy of Design and Crafts at the University of Gothenburg from 1995 to 1996. He has also collaborated with several well-known Swedish and European manufacturers in addition to Källemo, including String, Marrakech Design, Minus-tio and David Design.
Throughout his career, Theselius’s works have garnered critical acclaim and won numerous awards. Among them are the Red Dot Design Award, the Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize, the Wallpaper Design Award and the King of Sweden’s Prince Eugen Medal (2018). Theselius also received the Bruno Mathsson Award in 1997, which is named for the revered Swedish master cabinetmaker. Theselius is said to have created his coveted Bruno armchair immediately afterward.
Today, Theselius’s pieces can be found in the permanent collections of the National Museum in Stockholm, the State Russian Museum in Moscow and the Danish Museum of Art and Design in Copenhagen.
Find vintage Mats Theselius seating, case pieces, storage cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1990s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Steel, Aluminum
1920s Japanese Primitive Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Wood, Cedar
Mid-20th Century Chinese Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
1960s French Louis XIII Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Glass
2010s American Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Hardwood
1920s Japanese Primitive Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Wood, Cedar
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Metal
2010s American Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Walnut
1960s Chinese Chinoiserie Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan, Cane
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Brass
1930s German Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Wood
1980s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Copper
1980s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Copper
1980s Swedish Vintage Mats Theselius Screens and Room Dividers
Aluminum
