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Adolf Loos Side Chairs

Austrian, 1870-1933

Essentially dubbed the Frank Llyoyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, Adolf Loos possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture, and wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture. 

The son of a stonemason and sculptor, Loos was born in 1870 in what is now Brno in the Czech Republic. He studied architecture in Dresden in 1889, completed a year of military service and moved to the United States by 1893. He visited the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and came to appreciate the American approach to design over his three-year stay before returning to Vienna. 

An avid proponent of simplicity, Loos hated fluff above all else. In his best known essay, “Ornament and Crime,” he states “the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use” — a principle evident in both his architectural work and furniture. His writing was profoundly influential for practitioners of the International Style that would emerge later as well as the likes of prolific Swiss-born French architect and modernist prophet Le Corbusier

Loos challenged the prevailing architecture and decorating styles of his time, and disliked the ornate work associated with the Vienna Secession and Gesamtkunstwerk — the concept of a house as total work of art — an ideal pursued by a collective born from the Secession called the Wiener Werkstätte. To Loos, design should prioritize function, and any ornamentation devoid of a structural purpose was childish and unnecessary. 

Loos’s furniture — alongside the work of fellow Austrian architect Josef Hoffmanwas the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts in 2014. His architecture projects, including the Viennese Goldman and Salatsch building, the Austrian Steiner House and the Villa Müller in Prague, are celebrated by design enthusiasts all over the world. 

Find vintage Adolf Loos seating, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Adolf Loos
Rare Pair of Vienna Secession Modern Chairs by Adolf Loos
Rare Pair of Vienna Secession Modern Chairs by Adolf Loos

Rare Pair of Vienna Secession Modern Chairs by Adolf Loos

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On offer is a rare original paired Fan-Back Chairs designed by Adolf Loos (1870-1933) circa 1908-20s. As part of the Vienna Secession movement, these chairs display modern silouette ...

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Original and Documented Jugendstil Adolf Loos Chair, 20th Century, 1907
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Chair from the antechamber of the Rudolf Kraus apartment, brother of Karl Kraus, the famous wordsmith. This Apartment in Vienna 1, Nibelungengasse 13, was presented by Adolf Loos on ...

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Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Adolf Loos Side Chairs

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Adolf Loos side chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Adolf Loos side chairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Adolf Loos side chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original side chairs by Adolf Loos were created in the Art Nouveau style in europe during the early 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider side chairs by Josef Hoffmann, Woka Lamps, and Jacob and Josef Kohn. Prices for Adolf Loos side chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $6,200 and can go as high as $20,631, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $13,415.
Questions About Adolf Loos Side Chairs
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025
    Adolf Loos is famous for his achievements as a designer. Essentially dubbed the Frank Lloyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, he possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture. He wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture. Explore a variety of Adolf Loos furniture on 1stDibs.