Portrait Chair

Refined precision with a seductive elegance

The Portrait Chair was the winning entry in a design competition sponsored by Statsbygg (the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property) and co-organized by the National Museum of Norway. The brief called for a welcoming, multifunctional chair for use in the museum’s public spaces. The jury, led by British designer Jasper Morrison, lauded Portrait as “a beautiful chair that adds a seductive softness and elegance to the room where it will be used.”

Detail image of Portrait Chair with Walnut seat and back, and black frame with arms.

Uniquely Norwegian

In addition to the simple accents and natural materials that are common to contemporary Scandinavian design, Portrait’s sinuous lines and universal forms bring forth the freer, more poetic aesthetic of its designer’s native Norway.

Detail image of Portrait Chair with upholstered seat and back, satin chrome frame with arms.

Well Framed for the Human Body

The forms and lines of the Portrait Chair relate to the forms and lines of the seated human body, which makes the geometry of the chair naturally generous and comfortable.

Group image of Portrait Chairs with multiple seat and frame finishes.

A New Twist on a Familiar Form

The Portrait Chair builds on a familiar typology—a wood seat and backrest held by a welded frame of tubular steel—yet feels fresh, thanks to precise execution and refined details.

An isometric drawing of the Portrait Chair.

Specs

View the dimensions, materials, features, and available options for the Portrait Chair.

See the Details

Andreas Engesvik

“I wanted this to be a generous and comfortable chair, but I think it’s also important, when you work in a familiar typology, to differentiate the design.”

Portrait Chair