The design of brutalist furniture encompasses that which is crafted, hewn and worked by hand — an aesthetic rebuke (or, at least, a counterpoint) to furniture that is created using 21st-century materials and technology. Lately, the word “brutalist” has been adopted by the realms of furniture design and the decorative arts to refer to chairs, cabinets, tables and accessory pieces such as mirror frames and lighting that are made of rougher, deeply textured metals and other materials that are the visual and palpable antithesis of the sleek, smooth and suave.
ORIGINS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE BRUTALIST FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The term brutalism — which derives from the French word brut, meaning “raw” — was coined by architecture critic Reyner Banham to describe an architectural style that emerged in the 1950s featuring monumental buildings, usually made of unornamented concrete, whose design was meant to project an air of strength and solidity.
Le Corbusier essentially created the brutalist style; its best-known iterations in the United States are the Whitney Museum of American Art, which was designed by Marcel Breuer, and Paul Rudolph's Yale Art and Architecture Building. The severe style might have been the most criticized architectural movement of the 20th century, even if it was an honest attempt to celebrate the beauty of raw material. But while the brutalist government buildings in Washington, D.C., seemingly bask in their un-beauty, brutalist interior design and decor is much more lyrical, at times taking on a whimsical, romantic quality that its exterior counterparts lack.
Paul Evans is Exhibit A for brutalist furniture design. His Sculpture Front cabinets laced with high-relief patinated steel mounts have become collector's items nonpareil, while the chairs, coffee table and dining table in his later Cityscape series and Sculpted Bronze series for Directional Furniture are perhaps the most expressive, attention-grabbing pieces in American modern design. Other exemplary brutalist designers are Silas Seandel, the idiosyncratic New York furniture designer and sculptor whose works in metal — in particular his tables — have a kind of brawny lyricism, and Curtis Jere, a nom-de-trade for the California team of Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, the bold makers of expressive scorched and sheared copper and brass mirror frames and wall-mounted sculptures.
Brutalist furniture and sculptures remain popular with interior designers and can lend unique, eccentric, human notes to an art and design collection in any home.
Find authentic vintage brutalist chairs, coffee tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Pair of Red & Green Enameled Copper Mugs by Kwangho Lee, c. 2012
By Kwangho Lee
Located in New York City, NY
Highly collectible pair of enameled copper mugs by South Korean artist Kwangho Lee. With their stunning and explosive design, these copper mugs are a ne...
Copper
Pino Vase in Antique Copper by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pino vase Antique copper finish Hand repousse Limited Edition Repoussé is the traditional art of hand-hammering decorative relief onto shee...
Copper
$1,850
H 8.5 in Dm 9.5 in
Large Burmes Brass, Copper, Silver Inlaid Ceremonial Bowl with Avatars of Vishnu
By Rajhastani
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Large Asian Burmese brass ceremonial bowl with silver and copper inlaid with the ten Hindu Avatars of Vishnu. Fine example of Tanjore work, this brass bowl that has been overlaid with alternating copper and silver chased plaques, with high quality in detail executed in mixed metal repoussé with contrasting patination, showing Hindu deities. The base is engraved with a lotus flower motif. (This type of work is known as Tanjore work, after the south Indian city where much of this work was executed.) The depictions on the main plaques are believed to relate to those seen carved in relief on rock on the façade off the Great Temple (Brihadisvara) in Tanjore. A southern Indian magnificent silver and copper inlaid vase, 19th century Tapered and chased body made of copper inlaid with beaded bands and with the ten avatars of Vishnu: 1. Matsya (the fish) 2. Koorma (the tortoise) 3. Varaha (the boar) 4. Narasimha (the human-lion – shown on this bowl as a lion-man figure about to devour a human victim.) 5. Vamana (the dwarf) 6. Parasurama (the angry man – presented on this bowl as a figure with an axe, a bow and an arrow.) 7. Rama (the perfect man, king of Ayodha) 8. Krishna (the divine statesman – shown here as Krishna on a cobra throne...
Silver, Brass, Copper
19th Century Middle Eastern Copper Ewer
Located in Basingstoke, Hampshire
A large highly decorative middle eastern copper ewer. Dating from the early 19th century, displaying a charming patination throughout. Measures: Height...
Copper
Chinese Black Enamel Cloisonné Chrysanthemum Flower Vase
Located in New York, NY
Chinese black enamel cloisonné and brass ginger jar vase with chrysanthemum flowers, dogwood flowers and a butterfly and beautiful rich colors. Hand crafted on solid brass.
Enamel
$630Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 8.25 in W 4.5 in D 4.5 in
Pair of Chinese Cloisonné Enamel Baluster Vases
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fine pair of early 20th century Chinese enamel cloisonné vases. The baluster form bodies are decorated with intricate foliate and vine patterns almost in an arabesque style design wi...
Copper, Enamel
Early 20th century Champlevé Enamel and Bronze Large Vase
Located in Savannah, GA
Large 24" tall antique Chinese Champlevé enamel and bronze vase. Fine cloisonne floral decoration with stylized rooster head handles dating to the late 19th-early 20th century. Lovel...
Bronze
$3,995 / set
H 18.25 in W 7.25 in D 7.25 in
Pair of Mid 20th Century Enameled Copper Vases with Floral & Geisha Decoration
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of vases on stands are unsigned, but presumed to have originated from China and dating to approximately 1960 and done in a period Chinese Export style. The vases are compos...
Brass, Copper
20th Century Japanese Bronze Champlevé Enamel Vase
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Colorful 20th century Japanese bronze champlevé vase with a vibrant enamel decoration. Adorned with zoomorphic motifs in an Art Deco style...
Bronze, Enamel
$995 / set
H 7.5 in Dm 3 in
Pair of Antique Japanese Cloisonne Vases with Floral Decoration & Wooden Stands
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of vases are unsigned, but presumed to have originated from Japan and date to approximately 1920 and done in an Anglo-Japanese style. The vases are done in engraved brass w...
Brass
Pair of Islamic or Ottoman Hand-Painted Brass Vases
Located in Vienna, AT
A find pair of Ottoman brass vases with enamel painted patterns and arab inscription on the surface. Both with old ink written numbers on the bottom. They are in good condition, alt...
Brass
19th Century Copper & Iron Water Vessel, Algerian, c. 1890
Located in London, GB
A large, beautifully patinated late 19th century water pitcher or vessel, of dovetailed copper construction with forged iron handle. Indistinctly engraved ??? to the neck, meaning ‘u...
Copper, Iron
Pair of Japanese Meiji Period Bronze and Gilt Vases
By Zo Miyao 1
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Pair of fine quality Japanese Meiji period (1868-1912) patinated bronze Miyao style gold and silver overlay two handled vases, each with twin handles, classical motif decoration with...
Bronze
Curtis Jere Brass and Turquoise Starburst
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Southampton, NJ
Beautiful and Unique metal sunburst by Curtis Jere. This stunning piece is truly a showstopper. Brass and Turquoise make a beautiful contrast. 37 x 37 x 6.5Deep
Metal