The present daybed was designed by the Swedish architect Melchior Wernstedt as part of his designs for the Lillhagen Hospital, which opened in 1932. The original drawing of the daybed and the order from AB Nordiska Kompaniet, Stockholm are documented in the Regional Archives in Gothenburg. Only two from the order of thirty daybeds are known to exist. Both examples, including the present daybed, were acquired by psychiatrists working at Lillahagen when they retired from their respective practices.

Wernstedt studied architecture at the Chalmers Institute of Technology, Gothenburg, where he later became a professor, and at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Stockholm. Other notable projects include the Stadshuskällaren restaurant in Stockholm City Hall, which Wernstedt designed while working for the architect Ragnar Östberg from 1916-1921. In addition to his teaching position at Chalmers Institute of Technology, which he held from 1923-1951, Wernstedt also led the architectural office for the school’s expansion.

Period photograph: Britta Magnusson, Lillhagens sjukhus 1932 1982: 50 år av psykiatrins historia - en tillbakablick, Göteborg, 1982, p. 41