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Eva: A Chair Still Manufactured Today As A True Classic

by Richard Guilfoyle

When it comes to interior design (inredning), nearly everyone has heard of the Swedish and Scandinavian schools and the pervasive style called Swedish Modern, or sometimes Swedish modernism. One of its leading names was that of the late Bruno Mathsson. He was born in 1907 into a family of woodworkers in Varnamo, Sweden, and lived until 1988.

Though Mathsson was a student of the craft tradition of his country, he exceeded that as he used shapes and styles that were a reflection of living things, from insects to humans. He wanted his designs to be very practical and comfortable, but his real genius came in making designs that could be both practical and also amazing for their beauty.

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.

Classic chairs, of both modern and older styles, such as the Eva chair (which is still being mass-produced) might be expensive, but the owners believe they pay for themselves. The selection of fabric color is limitless, and the selection of wood nearly so. These chairs were made by Mathsson until he died in 1988, and they were always classic and beautiful, with touches to suit the times.

When thinking of interior design (inredning), most people immediately think of Swedish and Scandinavian schools and the Swedish Modern style. One leading names of these schools is the late Bruno Mathsson, born in 1907 in Varnamo, Sweden, to a family of woodworkers. He lived until 1988. His first major chair design was a failure when it first appeared in 1931, but later became highly sought after. The Eva was first produced in 1934, and gained a much quicker general acceptance by the public, as well as critical praise. It comes in both a high and low backed version, the high back is less typical of his arm chair designs.

Published December 17th, 2007

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