Lounge chair ‘Pernilla 3’ designed by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson
Sweden, 1944

Laminated birch and paper webbing.

Stamped.

This chair, which was specially ordered by a customer, to adapt to their longer height.

The lounge chair ‘Pernilla 3’ was designed in 1944 by Bruno Mathsson. The model was named after the journalist Pernilla Thunberger who visited Bruno Mathsson for an interview earlier that same year. This ‘Pernilla’ was a special commission from 1946/ 1947 by a tall customer who wanted a longer version. While the design aesthetic is delicate, the chair is very well-made and sturdy because of the strong laminated birch.

With its characteristically ergonomic design, curved legs and armrests, this iconic chair model ‘Pernilla 3’ exemplifies Swedish functionalism. It is among the most comfortable of seats imaginable. The seat is composed of red, original paper webbing — paper was used for production during and after the years of World War II because all the hemp webbing went to the military.

Bruno Mathsson (1907 - 1988), a prominent figure in Scandinavian furniture design, is revered for his distinctive style characterised by a harmonious fusion of form and function. Mathsson’s love for nature pervades all his designs — he frequently slept outside in the forest or his garden on a specially designed foldable bed. His furniture shapes, particularly the legs, bring bull's horns or insects to mind. Mathsson was one of the most important Swedish designers of the 20th century. He was a contemporary of Alvar Aalto and Marcel Breuer, all of whom had already experimented with bent plywood during the 1930s.

Karl Mathsson, Bruno Mathsson's father, was the fifth generation in a family of master cabinet makers. He owned a furniture manufacturing company that produced the earlier pieces; later, they founded "Mathsson International". The stamp indicates the manufacturing date and, sometimes, the design date. Bruno Mathsson often gave his furniture Swedish woman's names like "Eva", "Pernilla", or "Annika".

H: 90.5 cm / 2’ 11 3/4’’
W: 64 cm / 2’ 1 1/4’’
D: 180 cm / 5’ 11’’
SH: 29 cm / 11 1/2’’
AH: 54.5 cm / 21 1/2’’

Price: on application

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