Pair Of Vintage Armchairs By Ingmar Relling (1920 - 2002) Westnofa Edition From The 1970s

Pair of vintage armchairs by Ingmar Relling (1920 - 2002) Westnofa edition from the 1970s The structure is in curved solid wood. Covered in beige leather. The cushions are removable. Used condition H 96 W 80 D 75 / seat 52 cm The architect and designer Ingmar Relling (1920-2002) is known as one of the most internationally recognized Norwegian designers. He is considered a major player in the Scandinavian mid-century modern design movement. Relling was born in 1920 in Sykkylven, Norway. At the age of 16, he apprenticed as a carpenter at Vestlandske Møbelfabrik. His brother, Adolf Relling, also a furniture designer, encouraged his younger brother to enroll at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft Industry and Art (SHKS) in Oslo. While at SHKS, Relling studied under the supervision of the accomplished architect Arne Korsmo (1900–1968), who had a considerable influence on his style. Relling graduated in 1947 and began his career as an interior designer in his brother's company, Rastad & Relling, in Oslo. Relling designed many pieces of furniture for the company and in 1948 he decorated the rooms of the Royal Norwegian Yacht. In 1950, Relling returned to his hometown, where he founded his own design studio. At this time he also worked with KJ Måseide Alesund and Vestlandske Møbelfabrikk, the latter producing his 420 chair (1950s). In 1954, Relling designed the Nordic chair. Made up of two separate parts – a seat and a backrest – the Nordic chair could be folded and stored away when not in use, which will appeal to residents of smaller spaces. In 1965, Relling, in collaboration with his son Knut Relling, designed the Siesta chair, which won him first prize (the same year) in a competition organized by the Furniture Industrial Council. Relling is passionate about creating furniture that is both ergonomic and environmentally friendly and ensures his pieces are made in a way that can be repaired. The structure was usually built from bent and laminated beech, sourced from sustainable forests. The Siesta chair demonstrates Relling's minimalist aesthetic, without compromising on quality, and becomes the defining creation of his career. It met with immense commercial success (more than 800,000 copies sold to date) and contributed to the breakthrough expected by the Norwegian furniture manufacturer Westnofa on the international market. The President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, notably purchased Siesta chairs to furnish the White House during his mandate. In 1992, the Siesta won the Classic Award for Design Excellence from the Norwegian Design Council. Today the chair is produced by Norwegian furniture manufacturer LK Hjelle. It is considered a Scandinavian classic, a symbol of Norwegian design. Relling continued to create throughout the 1970s, without achieving the success of the Siesta. One of Relling's most notable designs of the 1970s is the Tema armchair (1973) for Vestlandske Møbelfabrikk. Inspired by the Siesta, the Tema was made of flat steel with a thick leather seat. Relling has received numerous awards and honors, including the Jacob Prize in 1978 and the King's Medal of Merit in 1999, among others. The Siesta chair is featured in permanent collections around the world, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Die Neue Sammlung in Munich, the Cooper-Hewitt in New York and the National Museum in Oslo.