George Nelson™ Swag Leg Chair from Herman Miller©

George Nelson’s chair features chrome-finished steel legs with captivating curves produced through swaging—a process that bends and tapers metal through pressure. For the sleek seat and back, Nelson looked to some friends: Charles and Ray Eames. They gave him permission to use their patented plastic molding process. But Nelson decided to make the seat and back separately, then glue them together, creating a flexible shape that fits the body comfortably. The opening in the back also provides ventilation. By itself or grouped around a dining or conference table, it’s a sculptural statement from a design dream team. The legs have adjustable glides. Produced by Herman Miller®, a manufacturer in MoMA’s collection. Made in the USA.

Reflecting on his remarkable 50-year career, George Nelson described a series of creative "zaps"—moments of out-of-the-blue inspiration. He also believed that furniture should be “a simple, direct expression of construction with existing techniques.” A 1931 graduate of Yale’s School of Fine Arts, Nelson became an architect after graduate school, when building was at a standstill following the Great Depression and World War II. He held the post of director of the Herman Miller furniture company from 1946 to 1965 and became one of the most influential figures in modern American design. He commissioned work by the Eameses, Alexander Girard, and others who made significant contributions to the field. Six examples of Nelson’s designs are included in MoMA’s collection.