Who was Kaare Klint?

DANISH ARCHITECT, 1888-1954

Kaare Klint was born in 1888 in Frederiksberg as the son of the architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint. Kaare was a pioneer in furniture design and became known as the father of modern Danish design. In 1924, he contributed to the founding of the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he was associate professor and later professor. Here he inspired a number of the most trusted Danish furniture designers, including Hans J. Wegner, Mogens Koch, Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm, who were to shape the golden age of Danish design.

Klint had a love for high-quality wood, which he often used in his designs. His works were a fusion between functionality and good craftsmanship. He broke with the old design approach, which had a special focus on style, and instead he put functionality at the center. His most popular piece of furniture is the Faaborg Chair (1914), designed for the Faaborg Museum, and another popular chair was the Safari Chair (1933), which in its simple design became a true classic.

Klint received great recognition both in Denmark and abroad. In England he received the honorary title of Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in London (1949), and in Denmark he received, among other things, the CF Hansen medal from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (1954).

His works can be seen in museum collections around the world, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. Here at home, his collections can be found at Faaborg Museum on Funen and Designmuseum Denmark in Copenhagen.

Kaare Klint, an icon in design, has left his mark not only in Denmark, but also internationally. His furniture is a source of inspiration for many and represents the best in Danish design.

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