Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson was born in Varnamo in 1907 into a woodworking tradition. His father was a well known cabinetmaker producing well crafted wood furniture as had the four generations of Mathsson’s before him. He grew up learning the technical skills to make furniture, the feel and nature of wood and the tradition of excellence.
Mattsson was fascinated with the technical issues in furniture design and began reading everything he could obtain, borrowing books from museums and design centers and making contacts that would prove to be lifelong mentors and associates. Largely self-educated in the technical issues and design styles, he became fascinated with functionalism. One of his functionalist designs for a chair eventually gained him a scholarship.
Not content with the limitations of traditional flat board furniture, Mattsson experimented with chairs without the springs and heavy upholstery, some that could be adjusted in position, and all with clean, elegant line. Some were so controversial that they were hidden in storage until he became a famous name.
Mathsson was so anxious about the thing he calls the “mechanics of sitting” that he conducted trials to determine the precise blueprint which was created by a person while reclining, even dropping in the snow to look at the result! By 1937, he had attained a Grand Prix design honor at an Expo in Paris. At that time, a few of his lost chairs began to be viewed by the public again.
One of his classic designs is the Bruno Mathsson Pernilla chair. It’s made in various formats with bentwood, incorporating lamination into the design itself. It can be made with webbing or upholstered. During the war, material shortages forced Mathsson to experiment with alternate fibers like jute and hemp, and thus this design can easily be adapted to other materials. These chairs traditionally include an attached pillow.
A historical Bruno Mathsson design that captures a contemporary feel is the modular Fällbord table. It is a well known Bruno Mathsson creation that came about in 1935 and can be configured in multiple different ways. His designs have held their popularity well into the 21st century by providing everlasting appeal. This appeal has proved consistent through his Jetson, Miranda, Eva and Pernilla chair designs as well.
One more table (Bruno Mathsson bord) that deserves a mention here is the superellips. It comes in many different models and as with much of his furniture (Mathsson mobler) are still highly sought after and continue to increase in value. Mathsson passed away in 1988 after a long illness, passing a legacy of modern furniture design down to his family.
Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson was born in Varnamo in 1907 into a woodworking tradition. He grew up learning the technical skills to make classic designer furniture (design mobler), the feel and nature of wood and the tradition of excellence. He taught himself by reading books from museums and design centers and networking with other designers. Functionalism was a design style that Bruno was very interested in. The bruno mathsson pernilla chair is one of his classic designs. A historical piece that captures a contemporary feel is his modular fällbord table. Mathsson passed away in 1988 leaving an amazing legacy of family heritage made great by his insight.
- Richard Guilfoyle