The Poet Sofa | Finn Juhl | 1941
The Poet Sofa was first presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1941 and was originally one of the experiments Finn Juhl designed for his own home. This compact two-seater, drawing inspiration from surrealist art, is distinguished by exceptional comfort, exquisite craftsmanship, and respect for the materials used. The Poet Sofa is hand-stitched in Denmark and is available in either fabric or leather, with legs in oak, walnut, or a black-painted finish.
Hallingdal beskrivelse
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Please note that the versions shown here represent only a selection of the many available options. For a complete overview of colors and materials, please explore the material page.
Design:
Finn Juhl
Year:
1941, relaunched in 2001
Materials:
Legs: Walnut, oak or black painted oak
Upholstery:
Textile or leather
Model and Dimensions:
FJ 4100
W: 136 cm | D: 80 cm | H: 87 cm
Seat height: 38 cm
The Poet Sofa was first presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1941 and was originally one of the experiments Finn Juhl designed for his own home. This compact two-seater, drawing inspiration from surrealist art, is distinguished by exceptional comfort, exquisite craftsmanship, and respect for the materials used. The Poet Sofa is hand-stitched in Denmark and is available in either fabric or leather, with legs in oak, walnut, or a black-painted finish.
Design:
Finn Juhl
Year:
1941, relaunched in 2001
Materials:
Legs: Walnut, oak or black painted oak
Upholstery:
Textile or leather
Model and Dimensions:
FJ 4100
W: 136 cm | D: 80 cm | H: 87 cm
Seat height: 38 cm
The Link Between Furniture and Sculpture
Finn Juhl often drew inspiration from contemporary art. At the Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition in 1941, the Poet Sofa was shown alongside two plaster reliefs by the Icelandic artist Sigurjón Ólafsson, and the sofa's organic forms reflected the close relationship between furniture and sculpture.
With its curves, the sofa seems to embrace the sitter, and the upholstered body provides an inviting two-person seat – intimate, comfortable, and with a playful touch. The upholstery is slim by the standards of the time, in line with Finn Juhl's idea of functional furniture, suitable even for smaller apartments.
How The Poet Sofa Received its Name
For many years, Finn Juhl worked closely with master cabinetmaker Niels Vodder. At one point, Niels Vodder gave his daughter, Kirsten vodder, a prototype of a small Finn Juhl sofa. Kirsten's husband, the poet Frank Jæger, loved to lie on the sofa and ponder life's big and small questions. Their friend, the illustrator Jørgen Mogensen, often visited the poet's home, and these experiences later inspired him to create the comic strip Poeten og Lillemor.
The strip was originally intended as a parody of Frank Jæger himself – the young "poet" who preferred daydreaming on the sofa to actually writing.
The comic strip about the daydreaming poet was published daily in the Danish newspaper Politiken for over 50 years, from 1950 to 2004. On closer inspection, it was originally a different small Finn Juhl sofa that Niels Vodder had given his daughter.
However, the inspiration for Jørgen Mogensen’s comic came from the Poet sofa, which had already achieved classic status by that time. The strip was thus named after the Poet sofa – a name that has endured ever since.
