Bruno Mathsson (1907-1988)
Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson was born in Varnamo in 1907 into a woodworking tradition. His father was a well known cabinetmaker producing well crafted wood furniture as had the four generations of Mathsson’s before him. He grew up learning the technical skills to make furniture, the feel and nature of wood and the tradition of excellence.
Mathsson wasn’t content with building only the flat board furniture his family traditionally crafted. His furniture was designed with clean, elegant lines including some chairs with positional adjustments. Some of the chairs he worked on didn’t have springs or upholstery. His ideas were revolutionary for his time. Therefore, he put some of his early items into storage until he had become famous in the furniture-making world
Mathsson's international reputation was launched with the bentwood furniture he exhibited in the Swedish Pavillion at the 1937 World Expo in Paris. Edgar J Kaufmann Jr saw the furniture and recommended that the Eva chair be purchased for the public rooms at the new MOMA building in New York City.