When this chair was shown at the International Exhibition in Paris in 1900, Norway was still ruled by Sweden, and was not to become an independent country for another five years. However, Norwegian manufacturers and designers insisted on having their own pavilion, distinct from the one showing Swedish objects. At the end of the nineteenth century, designers all over northern Europe were turning to their countries' ancient history for inspiration. In Norway, the enthusiasm for vernacular design was powerfully linked to the struggle for independence. In 1867 and 1880 archaeologists had excavated important Viking ships, and designers responded by creating what became known as the Viking or Dragon style.
On this chair, designer Lars Kinsarvik combined motifs that he would have seen in ancient Nordic art and architecture, with the colourful decoration that was typical of more modern Norwegian peasant furnishings.