Om Walther Nielsens stol
Det første officielle billede lavet i 1983 for at markedsføre Walter Nielsens mest imponerende stol (efter min mening). Fotograferingen foregik i mit atelier den 15. februar 1983 kort før Walthers allerførste udstilling i Danmark.
Forskellige skribenter hævder, at stolen blev produceret fra 1973, og det er muligt, at den egentlige markedsføring først begyndte med dette billede ti år senere. Det kan jeg ikke udelukke. Men det er mit indtryk (og vi boede kun en halv snes kilometer fra Walter Nielsens hus og værksted), at serie-produktionen af hans højryggede stol, som den ses her, begyndte i hans private værksted i slutningen af 70’erne, og at de tre første stole af denne endelige udformning først blev færdige på det tidspunkt.
Det var vigtigt for mig at forsøge at formidle de kunstneriske og skulpturelle kvaliteter ved stolen. Jeg opfatter i lige så høj grad denne stol som en smuk skulptur; designet er kunstnerisk og finishen er perfekt. Materialet var i dette tilfælde asketræ. Jeg ved ikke, om stolen senere blev produceret i andre træsorter.
De smukke organiske linjer var ikke for enhver krop. Stolen var mest bekvem for gennemsnitshøje mennesker, men så føltes formerne også som skræddersyet.
Ifølge Walter Nielsen selv gik en af de største ordrer på denne model til et byråd i Schweiz. De 20-30 stole fik sæder og ryg betrukket med polstret læder. Stolen blev aldrig fremstillet industrielt. Jeg tror, at kompleksiteten og den eksklusive form var mindre egnet for masseproduktion.
Jeg har indtryk af, at alle eksisterende stole er lavet af Walther Nielsen selv, eller under hans direkte tilsyn. De første modeller fremstillede han personligt i et meget lille værksted, og jeg har ofte undret mig over, hvordan en skønhed som denne stol kunne åbenbare sig fra så ydmyge tekniske omgivelser. Walter Nielsens ideer og evnen til at skabe de særlige organiske former har altid imponeret mig.
Desværre døde denne skabende personlighed i 1990 kun 61 år gammel.
Nærværende billede er fremstillet på grundlag af en scanning af et uskarpt Cibachrome positiv med blank overflade, dvs. med risiko for uvelkommen moire. Walter Nielsen fik mit originale negativ til sin markedsføring, og jeg ved ikke, hvor det er endt.
Subtile detaljer gik tabt i Cibachrome og skanningsprocesserne, men af sentimentale grunde ønsker jeg at dele mindet om en sand kunstner trods de tekniske begrænsninger.
About Walther Nielsen’s chair
The first official picture made in 1983 to market Walter Nielsen’s most impressive chair (in my opinion). The photography took place in my studio on 15 February 1983 shortly before Walther’s very first exhibition in Denmark.
Various writers claim that the chair was produced from 1973. And it may well be that the actual marketing first began with this image ten years later. I cannot rule that out. But it is my impression (and we lived only half a dozen kilometers from Walter Nielsen’s house and workshop), that the serial production of his high-backed chair, as seen here, began in his private workshop in the late 70s, and that the first three chairs of this final shape were only completed at that time.
It was important for me to try to convey the artistic and sculptural qualities of the chair. I equally perceive this chair as a beautiful sculpture; the design is artistic and the finish is perfect. The material in this case was ash wood. I do not know if the chair was later produced in other types of wood.
The beautiful organic lines were not for every body. The chair was most comfortable for people of average height, but then the shapes also felt tailor-made.
According to Walter Nielsen himself, one of the largest orders for this model went to a city council in Switzerland. Those 20-30 chairs had seats and backs covered with padded leather. The chair was never manufactured industrially. I think the complexity and the exclusive shape were less suitable for mass production.
I have got the impression that all existing chairs were made by Walther Nielsen himself, or under his direct supervision.
He personally produced the first models in a very small workshop, and I have often wondered how a beauty like this chair could emerge from such humble technical surroundings. Walter Nielsen’s ideas and ability to create the special organic forms have always impressed me.
Unfortunately, this creative personality died in 1990 aged only 61.
The present image was produced on the basis of a scan of an unsharp Cibachrome positive with a blank surface, i.e. the risk of unwelcome moire. Walter Nielsen had my original negative for his marketing and I don’t know where it ended up. Subtle details were lost in the Cibachrome and scanning processes, but for sentimental reasons I want to share the memory of this true artist despite of the technical limitations.