Pair of "Mix" Armchairs in Mahogany by Kaare Klint with Edvard Kindt-Larsen

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Pair of "Mix" Armchairs in Mahogany by Kaare Klint with Edvard Kindt-Larsen

About the Item

Kaare Klint (1888–1954) was a profound influence on 20th century Danish design. In addition to authoring a rich legacy of elegant furniture pieces, he was largely responsible for establishing the furniture program at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1924. Klint helped nurture the next generation of Danish design talents, institutionally through his development of the nascent department's curriculum, and personally as a teacher and as a professional mentor to graduates that were lucky enough to work at his studio. Klint espoused a philosophy that historical and vernacular furniture types were functional and aesthetic masterpieces that had been gradually perfected through constant refinement by generations of different craftsmen. This belief was reflected in his curriculum for the Academy which required studying and drawing a canon of perfected types to instill a refined sense of proportion, construction and comfort. Klint encouraged collaboration in his classes at the Academy. The final version of this chair was the joint efforts of Klint and Edvard Kindt-Larsen, who had made the working drawing of the chair as part of a school project. The model was nicknamed the “Mix” chair due to a notation playing on the names of its creators on a sketch by Klint. The chair was published in Architeckten in 1930 in an article by Klint about the furniture design program. The initial prototypes for the chair were made by N.C. Jensen Kjaer around 1930. Rud. Rasmussens Snedkerier of Copenhagen put them in production in 1931, with the model number "4396." The subtle play of curvature in the piece is remarkable: convex at top, concave in the seat, with a constant rolling line from one front leg to the top and down to the other leg. (Literature: Gorm Harkaer, Kaare Klint, Copenhagen, Kilintiania, 2010, pg. 32; Arne Karlsen, Danish Furniture Design in the 20th Century, vol. 1, Copenhagen, Dansk Møbel Kunst, 1990, pgs. 62-63).

Creator:
Kaare Klint (Designer),Edvard Kindt-Larsen (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 31 in (78.74 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 22 in (55.88 cm)Seat Height: 19 in (48.26 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany
Place of Origin:
Denmark
Period:
1930-1939
Date of Manufacture:
1930-1950
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Cuban mahogany frame expertly restored, superlative horsehair striae upholstery with leather welting.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU91417978053

Shop All Kaare Klint

Kaare Klint

Architect, teacher and furniture designer Kaare Klint is among the most important figures in Scandinavian modernism. Widely recognized as the father of modern Danish furniture, Klint sought to pay homage to historical furniture styles and prized functionality as essential to designing for modern living. He established the design school at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and his students became mid-century legends of cabinetry and furniture-making.

Klint prioritized functionalism and drew on an array of influences in his own work. Furniture experts will observe the influence of 18th-century English seating in his Red chair, while Klint’s iconic Safari chair had roots in campaign furniture. The other exemplary chairs, sofas and tables for which he is known bear the mark of Thomas Chippendale and Biedermeier furniture as well as Greek and Roman forms.

Klint's father was Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, a formidable architect of his day. The younger Klint initially followed in his father’s footsteps, studying under him as well as distinguished architect Carl Petersen. Alongside Danish architect Ivar Bentsen, he headed the renovation of the Designmuseum Denmark in Copenhagen from 1920–26 (Klint also furnished the institution as part of the project). Around the same time, Klint helped found the furniture design school at the Royal Danish Academy. The impact of his role as an instructor there cannot be overstated — he mentored such esteemed cabinetmakers and furniture designers as Børge Mogensen, Hans Wegner and Ole Wanscher.

A prominent advocate of ergonomics, Klint valued comfort and functionality over style. Painstaking research went into each piece of sophisticated yet wholly unadorned furniture he designed, as he endeavored to build structures that took into consideration human proportions and scale. And like the Shakers, Klint believed that quality craftsmanship and good materials were integral to the design of durable furniture that was free of embellishment.

The humble grace of Klint’s style characterizes legendary seating designs that continue to charm today’s legions of mid-century modern enthusiasts. His Safari chair, Faaborg chair, Ravenna armchair and Propeller stool — as well as most of the seating created by Danish modernists generally — have warmed interiors and influenced furniture designers all over the world.

Find vintage Kaare Klint furniture and other Scandinavian modern furniture on 1stDibs.