Pertaining to interior design (inredning), the pervasive style called Swedish Modern was conceived in the Swedish and Scandinavian schools. Sometimes called Swedish modernism, one of its leading designers was the late Bruno Mathsson who was born in 1907. Bruno came from a family of woodworkers living in Varnamo, Sweden, and passed away in 1988.
Mathsson started from the aspect of the classic crafts of his homeland, but expanded that to mirror the natural world and aspect of living creatures in his work. This main goal was to create furniture that was usable, and that people wanted to use. The real secret to his success was combining this with an attractive appearance.
He is most well known for his chair designs, though they were far from the only furniture (möbler) that he designed, and later in his career he also became famous for practical architecture. The Pernilla, Miranda, and Eva are the three chair designs for which he is most widely known. The majority of his chair designs have feminine names and curves that evoke the female figure.
The chair design which originally drew attention to him was "the grasshopper." While it was a failure when initially crafted in 1931, it eventually gained wide recognition. The Eva was initially crafted in 1934, and it won the broadest public acceptance and critical applause right away. This chair has two versions, one with a high back and one with a low back. The former is less like his trademark arm chairs than the ones with backs of the more traditional height.
The Eva chair has the clean lines and curves that are common for Mathsson, as well as the webbed upholstery. The original were likely made from beech, but several different types of wood have been used since, and almost anything can be used for the webbing. During wartime they were produced with whatever material could be found, whether it be paper, or hemp, etc.
The Eva chair is still being manufactured as a true classic, and both old and new models still command hefty price tags, but nearly anyone who has one thinks it is worth it. The upholstery can be customized to any color scheme or situation, and the choice of woods is quite generous. Mathsson made chairs until the end of his life in 1988, and continued to make simple but attractive chairs, adding innovations to suit the age.
Bruno Mathsson was a Swedish man who designed furniture (möbler) that was different from typical pieces of furniture because of its curves. He impacted the interior design industry by creating furniture that was both practical and comfortable. Although he made many different kinds of furniture, he was most famous for producing chairs.
