At first Hans Wegner studied to be a carpenter in his youth. In 1936, he began studying at The Danish Design School in Copenhagen, where he made the decision to become a designer and manufacture and sell his own furniture.
From 1938 he was employed in the studio of Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller. He was in charge of designing furniture for Aarhus City Hall, on which Arne Jacobsen worked as an architect. He later became independent and founded his own company.
Hans Wegner's best-known works include the China Chair (1944), currently manufactured by Fritz Hansen, and the Wishbone Chair (1949), manufactured by Carl Hansen & Son. His furniture is characterized by top quality materials and uncompromising craftsmanship. He said of behalf of his work, "I have always wanted to do unusual things of exceptionally high quality."
As a famous designer, he has received many awards for his work. For example, in 1951 the Lunning Prize and the Grand Prix of the Milan Triennale, as well as the medal of the Swedish Prince Eugene and the medal of the Eckersberg. In 1959 he was named honorary designer for the Royal Society of Arts in London. His furniture is present in many international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich.
