Aarhus Rådhus Cabinet, 1941, by Hans J. Wegner

HANS J WEGNER, a bar cabinet executed by cabinetmaker Axel I Sørensen, for the Mayor's office, Aarhus Rådhus, 1941. Walnut cabinet with locking tambour doors with handles of cast brass, interior bar with leather straps, glass shelves, and black glass base.
Measurements
W 43’’ x D 16,25’’ x H 53,25’’
Aarhus City Hall, a masterpiece conceived by architects Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller, is an exemplary "Gesamtkunstwerk," or total work of art, in which every piece of furniture, interior element, and decorative feature was custom-designed for the building’s intended functions. When the City Hall was inaugurated on July 2, 1941, it revealed a unique and visionary architectural achievement that continues to stand out. In 1994, its importance as a functionalist masterpiece was recognized when it was designated for preservation by the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces due to its distinctive design and architecture.
Hans J. Wegner reflected on his contributions to the City Hall during his collaboration with Møller and Jacobsen, stating, "I created the sketches for all the furniture for the City Hall. Of course, I discussed my ideas with Erik Møller, who was responsible for the building, and he may have contributed ideas as well. When you have only three men and a supervisor, you end up working very closely together, and the designs for the City Hall's furniture are a collective effort. I learned a great deal from that experience."
Wegner’s involvement with Aarhus began when Jacobsen and Møller won the commission for the City Hall's design. As a student at The School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, he took a leave of absence in 1938 to relocate to Aarhus. During this time, he was responsible for developing furniture designs and creating small-scale prototypes for the new City Hall.
Wegner designed the chairs and furnishings for the City Hall and had several of his early pieces crafted by local carpenters. It was also in Aarhus that he established his first design studio. Legally, Jacobsen and Møller held the intellectual property rights for all furniture made for the City Hall. However, Wegner received recognition from the two prominent architects, which allowed him to launch three furniture series inspired by the City Hall designs during the project's development phase.