Bruno Mathsson - Mid Century Modern Icon

Bruno Mathsson (January 13, 1907 – August 17, 1988), Swedish architect and furniture designer, is one of my favorite designers and definitely one of the most important figures in Scandinavian modern design. Not only that, but he is also credited with creating some of the most iconic designs of the Mid Century era. His claim to fame came when he traveled to the United States and Japan showcasing his “Mathsson Method” which came about from Bruno Mathsson’s interest in creating highly functional furniture that was also aesthetically pleasing. 

Bruno Mathsson came from a long line of cabinet makers. His father, Karl Mathsson, was the fifth generation from a rich history of master cabinet makers. Bruno was the first to break away from the family tradition and explore the actual design of furniture versus only the construction. Bruno was intrigued with the notion of functional furniture that was also beautiful. Mathsson was mostly self taught gaining the majority of his skill from his knowledge in cabinet making and from borrowing books from the Röhsska Arts and Crafts Museum in Gothenburg.

Mathsson’s first notable design came when he was commissioned to design a chair for the Varnamo Hospital in 1930. He had already been developing a technique consisting of bentwood with hemp webbing. He utilized this technique with the chair he designed for the Varnamo Hospital. The chair came to be known as the “Grasshopper chair” a name given to the chair by the hospital staff. Mathsson later went on to design many more iconic furniture designs that you can see examples of below.

The "Grasshopper" Chair 

The "Maria" Table

The "Eva" Chair

The "Annika" Table

Upon his return to Sweden, Bruno Mathsson did not falter in his work, continuing to design until he passed in 1988. During his lifetime he was awarded a number of awards and distinctions including the Gregor Paulssons-statyette (1955), Prince Eugens gold medal (1965), Knight of the Royal Swedish Order of the Wasa (1967), member of The Royal Society of Art, London (1978) and assigned the title professor by the Swedish government (1981).

Mathsson’s legacy on modern design is incredibly evident and quite obvious in the popularization of bentwood and highly functional and beautiful furniture. Mathsson’s accomplishments have often been compared to Alvar Aalto in importance and innovation. Through the efforts of Bruno Mathsson’s work we can still see his influence in the designs of contemporary furniture that put an emphasis on functionality as well as beauty.

In our shop we have a beautiful example of an Annika table dated back to 1964. One of Bruno Mathsson's most elegant designs, this Annika table features curved beech legs and a smooth teak top. Find more info about this piece by clicking the button below!