| Of all the furniture designers that emerged from | | | | them, making it a point to truly see how the |
| Denmark during the 20th century, Kaare Klint was | | | | pieces were constructed and how they didn't lose |
| the only one that was born the century before. | | | | their functionality. He studied drawings of human |
| Born in 1888, the son of P.V. Jensen Klint, an | | | | requirements for sitting comfortably while being |
| eminent architect of the early 20th century, the | | | | supported and how the functions of the human |
| younger Kaare Klint worked first as an architect | | | | body worked and then designed furniture around |
| before moving on to furniture design. In 1924 he | | | | that study, keeping them beautiful without losing |
| founded the Danish Academy of Art and became | | | | their function. A perfect example of this ideal is |
| the first professor the school ever had in | | | | the 1933 teak deck chair he designed, retaining |
| furniture. He was also the first lecturer in Furniture | | | | functionality, providing the maximum amount of |
| Design at Copenhagen's Royal Academy of Fine | | | | comfort possible and remaining a clean, elegant |
| Arts. | | | | piece. Kaare Klint was a leading expert on |
| As a professor and lecturer, Kaare Klint had a | | | | ergonomics during his time, and quite possibly the |
| huge hand in shaping many of the most well | | | | first expert on it. |
| known furniture designers to come out of | | | | His pieces had to show the highest quality |
| Denmark. He was a mentor and collaborator of | | | | craftsmanship and he preferred the aesthetic look |
| Finn Juhl, whose own style was completely | | | | wood gave to a piece, completing it in his eyes. It |
| opposite of Kaare Klint with the exception of | | | | didn't matter what he designed. Each piece was to |
| Shaker furniture, which both men admired greatly. | | | | serve a function. Many of his pieces were based |
| Instead of embracing the modernism movement | | | | on English furniture from the 1700s, Shaker |
| like many of his contemporaries out of France | | | | prototypes, and pieces from Southern Europe. He |
| and Germany, Kaare Klint went back to the | | | | made them modern by refashioning the entire |
| simple and elegant designs that had worked for | | | | object and then simplifying it to make a truly |
| generations. He found inspiration in Chippendale, | | | | unique and modern piece of furniture. He used the |
| Biedermeier, Far Eastern style, and, of course, | | | | services of cabinet maker Rudolf Rasmussen who |
| American Shaker. His furniture, designed in the | | | | worked with mahogany, a favorite medium of |
| classic style but with proportion studies thrown in, | | | | Kaare Klint's. Kaare Klint liked the way it looked |
| fit in the everyday lives of both Danish and | | | | and how it could be shaped. Additionally, he made |
| international homes. | | | | sure every small detail of the piece was perfect, |
| Kaare Klint encouraged himself and his students to | | | | from the brass fittings to the hand-woven |
| study the styles of the past and learn from | | | | coverings and leather. |