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Studio: international art — 53.1911

DOI issue:
Nr. 221 (August 1911)
DOI article:
Bröchner, Georg: Old danish carved furniture
DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20973#0230

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Ola Danish Carved Furniture

FIG. 22. CHAIR FROM THE ISLAND OF SAMSO.
DATE ABOUT 1800

can never have been very prevalent in Denmark,
until, about the year 1700, it sprang into new and
strong life and reigned almost supreme with the
peasant-carving fraternity until well into the nine-
teenth century.

As a series of characteristic examples of such
Danish peasant carving, we illustrate a number of
chairs, all hailing from the Danish "Folke-
museum," whilst the furniture otherwise illustrated
in this article is to be found in other Danish
collections, those of the National Museum, the
Frederiksborg Museum or provincial museums.

First comes a curule chair of distinct Renais-
sance type, although it appears to be of peasant-
workmanship from about the year 1700, and then
follow a number of chairs, all about a hundred
years younger, but in which may be found traces of
style from diverse periods. Although the chair
was a rare piece of furniture in the Middle Ages, it
is probable that certain features take one as far
back as to the Romans, which especially may be
said of the four-legged Sealand peasant chairs,
whilst the three-legged Fuhnen chairs have had
relatives, more or less distant, in the Gothic
period. The connection with the Renaissance

type""of chair is evident in other ways, nor has
the furniture style of the burghers of the eighteenth
century been entirely unknown to the peasant
craftsmen.

Diverse periods likewise meet in the ornamenta-
tion. It consists to a great extent of notch (chip)
stars, but a tulip from the flora of the late baroque
period also shows itself, side by side with elements
from the Renaissance, as also the names, the years
and the inscriptions so dear to the latter period.
More especially the two interesting North Sealand
chairs (Figs. 18 and 19) have amusing inscriptions :
" Set Dig nor og vil Dine Been " (Sit ye down and
rest your legs), and " Hvad Gud vil Bevare, Er
vden al Fare " (What God will preserve is outside
all danger).

These few examples show better than many
words how the peasants have been able to gather
their motifs from many sources, how they have
made them go together and answer the station and
the requirements of their users, and, as an outcome
of these circumstances, produce sound, natural
and good furniture.

In conclusion I have to express my sincere
thanks to the National Museum and more
especially to M. Chr. Arel Jensen of this museum
for the invaluable aid he has rendered me in
this matter. G. B.

FIG. 2J. CHAIR FROM SOUTH FUHNEN.
DATE ABOUT iSoO

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