Born in Copenhagen in 1903, Ole Wanscher studied under Kaare Klint at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and opened his own studio in 1930. The Colonial Chair (1949), which typified his mastery of proportion and detail, is a much celebrated piece from his extensive design catalogue.

In 1955, he succeeded Kaare Klint as professor of furniture design at the Academy, mentoring a new generation of Danish designers until his retirement in 1973.