Guild shelf – &Tradition

Peter Hvidt (1916-1986) and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen (1907-1993) were pioneers of Danish mid-century design and founders of Copenhagen-based Hvidt & Mølgaard.

Renowned for the simplicity of their work, the duo established a simple, precise aesthetic by designing countless pieces of furniture over the years, many of which have become icons of the era. The success of the AX chair (manufactured in 1950) was a defining moment for the duo. Not only did its precise, rigorous silhouette cement their position as leaders of Danish modernism, but the use of laminated wood enabled the chair to be mass-produced and exported internationally. This avant-garde approach to industrialized production paved the way for a new movement that relied on classic craft techniques to make affordable, beautiful domestic furniture.

Hvidt and Mølgaard-Nielsen possessed superior technical skills. Mølgaard-Nielsen studied furniture design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts under the tutelage of Kaare Klint, while Hvidt acquired knowledge of traditional craftsmanship during his cabinetmaking studies at Copenhagen's School of Arts and Crafts. Today, their work can be seen at MoMA, the National Gallery in Melbourne and the Design Museum in Copenhagen.