audocph.comImage source: Arnold Madsen
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Designer
Arnold Madsen
Arnold Madsen (1907–1989) was born in North Jutland. He worked as a sailor before emigrating to Canada, where he lived as a cowboy and rodeo rider, and after returning to Denmark he trained as an upholsterer. Audo Copenhagen calls him an…
Biography
Background
Arnold Madsen (1907–1989) was born in North Jutland. He worked as a sailor before emigrating to Canada, where he lived as a cowboy and rodeo rider, and after returning to Denmark he trained as an upholsterer. Audo Copenhagen calls him an underrecognized figure of the Danish Modern era.
Signature Style
Unlike many of his peers, Madsen was not formally trained in design or architecture. Audo describes him as quiet but determined, a pioneer of experimental furniture focused on round forms and elegant, comfortable construction.
Notable Works
- Oda Chair (originally Model 9, around 1956) with a welded steel frame and bent plywood shell
- Clam Chair (1944)
Legacy
In 1945 he co-founded Madsen & Schubell with Henry Schubell, which produced successful designs until the mid-1960s. The Oda Chair was long credited to Nanna Ditzel and the Clam Chair to Philip Arctander; both are now recognized as Madsen's work.
