France Chair

Design  Finn Juhl
Manufacturer  House of Finn Juhl
Made in  Denmark
Dimensions  80 x 72 x H 81cm x SH 38cm
Colour & Materiality Frame: oak, smoked oak, black-painted oak, or walnut; Upholstery: fabric or leather

The France Chair, or the FJ 136 as it is also known, was designed for the American market in the late 1950s. It was originally delivered flat-packed as knock-down furniture, which was France’s business idea and the main driver for his phenomenal success on the American market. Today, however, the chair is delivered fully assembled.

As one of the leading figures in twentieth century furniture design, Finn Juhl is responsible for introducing North America to the Danish Modern movement through his work on the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Originally trained as an architect, he began creating furniture for himself in the 1930's and soon gained widespread recognition for his organic forms and expressive treatment of wood, often taking the material past the limits of what was thought possible. Thinking with the mindset of a sculptor, his ambition was to design furniture with movement and life.