What the work is
Hans Wegner designed the Wishbone chair for Carl Hansen & Søn in 1949. Also known as the CH24 or Y Chair, it takes its familiar name from its Y-shaped backrest. The design was inspired by Ming-era chairs.
How it was made
The documented construction includes a bentwood armrest and a paper-cord seat woven in an envelope pattern. Look at the relationship between the curved armrest, the Y-shaped back and the woven surface. These are specific elements of the design, not a complete account of every joint or production operation.
What works
The chair offers a clear comparison between shaped wood and woven cord. One way to read it is to follow the wooden outline first, then study how the seat’s pattern occupies the space below. The contrast gives the eye more to examine than the Y-shaped back alone.
What does not
A recognizable outline does not answer every question about a seat. Studying comfort or durability would require evidence beyond the chair’s name and historical importance. Keep those questions separate from the documented materials and the visual relationship among its parts.
What it influenced
The Ming-era reference is the clearest documented historical relationship. Compare that reference with Wegner’s use of bentwood and woven paper cord. The design’s continued production is evidence of longevity, but it should not be used as a shortcut to claim that it influenced all later Danish chairs.
Is it worth your time
Study the Wishbone chair for the way a historical reference becomes a specific arrangement of wood and cord. Its usefulness as a case study lies in those observable parts and their relationship, not simply in its status as a familiar design.