Finn Juhl, born in 1912, studied architecture at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen but he was self-taught in furniture design, a fact he always emphasised. His design style is expressive and sculptural and he placed great emphasis on form and less on function, which was a serious break with the dominant tradition of the Klint School.

One of Juhl’s most well-known designs is the Chieftain Chair, designed in 1949. As with the 45-chair, this is a fine example of Juhl’s great idea of separating the sculpturally shaped seat and back from the wooden frame.