Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Best known for his Red and Blue chair, a modernist icon created using only two plywood plates and 15 connecting bars, Dutch designer Gerrit Thomas Rietveld trained as a cabinetmaker, and his bold vision for furniture was supported by his expertise in construction and craftsmanship.

Born in Utrecht, Rietveld learned goldsmithing in addition to the cabinetry apprenticeship he had in his carpenter father’s workshop. He studied draftsmanship with architect Piet Klaarhamer at the Utrecht Museum of Applied Arts and opened his own furniture workshop in 1917. In the 1930s, Rietveld began to experiment with then-unusual materials like plywood and aluminum, and he pursued intellectual concepts through his design, even considering a seat as a resting place for the body and the soul.

Designed in 1918, the minimalist Red and Blue chair is widely coveted by collectors and gained admirers in the likes of legendary American sculptor and designer Donald Judd over the years. (Examples of Rietveld’s designs can be found in Judd’s restored home-museum in New York City.) The Red and Blue chair is so stunning in its geometric simplicity that it is one of the most important symbols of the Dutch art and design movement of the early 20th century called De Stijl, of which Rietveld was an important part. De Stijl means “the Style” and was an effort to express utopian values through pure abstraction in design and the use of primary colors.

Another example of Rietveld’s celebrated seating furniture is the Zig-Zag chair, which was commissioned by the Dutch department store Metz & Co. and intended to be mass-produced. The resulting design — to which the rights to manufacture were bought by Cassina in 1971 — is the essence of the De Stijl movement and an example of Rietveld’s experiments with jointless chairs made from a single material, wood. The Zig-Zag chair’s armless, legless, elegant form is pure abstraction, yet it is also sturdy and comfortable.

Later in his career, Rietveld worked more often as an architect, designing buildings in prestigious settings like the Venice Biennale. He was a pioneer in more ways than one: The first building he designed, Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht in 1924, is a radically modern space and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Find vintage Gerrit Rietveld furniture on 1stDibs.

Creator: Gerrit Rietveld

Early Numbered 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

$4,900Sale Price / item|24% Off

Early Numbered 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Los Angeles, CA

These early year 'Zig Zag' chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina are the holy grail of collectors pieces. Rare and coveted, original 'Zig Zag' chairs are a part of design history, re...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Rietveld Zigzag Chair De Stijl Design by Gerrit Rietveld, 1950

$14,027Sale Price / set|20% Off

Rietveld Zigzag Chair De Stijl Design by Gerrit Rietveld, 1950

By Gerrit Rietveld

Located in Oirlo, LI

Discover the iconic Rietveld Zigzag Chair, a masterpiece of Dutch design that has been enriching interiors worldwide since 1934. Crafted for a family of artists, this special editio...

Category

1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Pine

Set of Eight Early 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

$44,000 / set

Set of Eight Early 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

By Cassina, Gerrit Rietveld

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This set of eight early year 'Zig Zag' chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina are the holy grail of collectors pieces. Extremely rare and coveted, original 'Zig Zag' chairs are a part...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

$4,096 / item

H 29.14 in W 14.57 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Chair designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1934. Relaunched in 1973/ 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, this chair provided an early example of a ...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina

$4,096 / item

H 29.14 in W 14.57 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Chair designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1934. Relaunched in 1973/ 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Materials: Wood Dimensions: D 43 cm x W 37 cm x H 74 cm (SH ...

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2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina Crate Chairs, Italy, 1970s

$3,080 / set

H 29.14 in W 22.05 in D 22.05 in

Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina Crate Chairs, Italy, 1970s

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Almelo, NL

Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina crate chairs, Italy 1970s. Pair of two Gerrit Rietveld' Crate' chairs. These chairs were designed in 1934 and produced by...

Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Ash

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

$4,096 / item

H 29.14 in W 14.57 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Chair designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1934. Relaunched in 1973/ 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, this chair provided an early example of...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Pair of Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht Lounge Chairs by Cassina, Italy, 1980s

On Hold|~~$11,104 / set~~

H 27.56 in W 25.2 in D 33.47 in

Pair of Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht Lounge Chairs by Cassina, Italy, 1980s

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Amsterdam, NL

Designed in 1935 by Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld, the Utrecht chair remains one of the defining icons of twentieth-century modern design. Originally created for the M...

Category

1980s De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

$4,067 / item

H 29.14 in W 14.57 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design

By Cassina, Gerrit Rietveld

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Chair designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1934. Relaunched in 1973/ 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, this chair provided an early example of...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Red Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, Italy, De Stijl Modern, 1918

$2,715Sale Price|60% Off

H 34 in W 24 in D 33 in

Red Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, Italy, De Stijl Modern, 1918

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Gerrit rietveld Bauhaus red blue chair by Cassina. Early production. Authorized by Rietveld estate. Made in Italy. Labelled and numbered 556. In the red blue chair, Rietveld manipula...

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Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Pair of Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Designed Utrecht Chairs, Made by Cassina

$22,794 / set

H 27.56 in W 25.6 in D 33.47 in

Pair of Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Designed Utrecht Chairs, Made by Cassina

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Hasselt, VLI

Pair of early Cassina Utrecht chairs designed, by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, originally drawn in 1936 for the Metz & Co warehouse. In 1972, Cassina a...

Category

1990s Italian De Stijl Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Mohair

1990s Cassina “Utrecht” Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld, a Pair

$11,800 / set

H 28 in W 25 in D 34 in

1990s Cassina “Utrecht” Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld, a Pair

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Roanoke, VA

Fantastic pair of modernist lounge chairs, model 637 Utrecht by the designer Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina from the 1990s. Fabric is a cool silvery blue. Check out the incredibl...

Category

1990s Italian Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Velvet

Crate Chair, Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, Made by Cassina 1970s

$5,242

H 29.14 in W 21.86 in D 19.89 in

Crate Chair, Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, Made by Cassina 1970s

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Hellouw, NL

Nice Gerrit Rietveld 'Crate' chair. This chair was designed by Rietveld in 1934 and made by Cassina in the 1970s. This chair is made out of ash wood and has a colorless lacquer. 'Gerrit Rietveld designed the 'crate' series of furniture built from standardized pine boards – cheap material for packing crates – which were soon well-known as ‘crate furniture’. 'From 1935 on the progressive designs appeared at Metz & Co, where furniture by Rietveld had already been sold since 1930. The crate desk...

Category

1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Pine

Crate Chair Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, Made by Cassina 1970s

$4,675

H 29.14 in W 22.05 in D 20.08 in

Crate Chair Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, Made by Cassina 1970s

By Cassina, Gerrit Rietveld

Located in Hellouw, NL

A clear example of Gerrit Rietveld's functional approach to furniture design, the iconic Crate Chair was originally designed in 1934. This example is believed to be a Cassina product...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Ash

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Zig Zag Chair for Cassina, Italy, new

$1,975 / item

H 29.14 in W 14.57 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Zig Zag Chair for Cassina, Italy, new

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Berlin, DE

Price is dependent on the chosen material/color. Chair designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1934. Relaunched in 1973/ 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Previously Available Items

Gerrit Rietveld "Zig-Zag" Chairs by Cassina, Italy 1973 'Four Available'

Sold

H 29.25 in W 14.75 in D 17 in

Gerrit Rietveld "Zig-Zag" Chairs by Cassina, Italy 1973 'Four Available'

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Sacile, PN

Four Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s. N°853 -854 -873-874 Provenance: Private collection Milan This set early year 'Zig Zag' chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for ...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood, Elm

Set of Two Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s

Sold

H 29.25 in W 37.47 in D 43.18 in

Set of Two Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Sacile, PN

Six Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s. N°2812 to 2813 In the early 1930s, department store Metz & Co. asked Gerrit R...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s (Six available)

Sold

H 29.25 in W 37.47 in D 43.18 in

Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s (Six available)

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Sacile, PN

Six Gerrit Rietveld "ZIG-ZAG" chairs by Cassina, Italy 1970s. From N°2808 to 2813 In the early 1930s, department store Metz & Co. asked Gerrit Rietveld to design a chair for mass ...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Midcentury Zig Zag Chairs by Rietveld for Cassina (4)

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H 29.25 in W 14.5 in

Midcentury Zig Zag Chairs by Rietveld for Cassina (4)

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in BROOKLYN, NY

Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, circa 1980s. Produced in Italy Set of four "Zig Zag" cantilevered cherry wood chairs chairs with leather seat. Manufacturer's mark, designers signature, ...

Category

1980s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of Ten Early 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

Sold

H 29.25 in W 14.75 in D 17 in

Set of Ten Early 'Zig Zag' Chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, 1973, Signed

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This set of ten early year 'Zig Zag' chairs by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina are the holy grail of collectors pieces. Extremely rare and coveted, original 'Zig Zag' chairs are a part o...

Category

1970s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld - Zig Zag Chair, Set of Four, Edition, circa 1965

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H 29.65 in W 14.06 in D 16.93 in

Gerrit Rietveld - Zig Zag Chair, Set of Four, Edition, circa 1965

By Gerrit Rietveld

Located in Munster, NRW

Ultra rare set of four Gerrit Rietveld zig zag chairs. Bought in the late 1960s for a private collection, the manufacturer is unknown. Sophisticated wooden connection, sides with...

Category

1960s German Bauhaus Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chairs for Cassina

Sold

H 29.53 in W 14.57 in D 16.54 in

Gerrit Rietveld Zig Zag Chairs for Cassina

By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina

Located in Amsterdam, NL

Iconic and famous pair Rietveld Zig Zag chairs. Later production from Cassina in cherrywood. Wear on seat and backrest which contrast nice with ...

Category

1930s Italian De Stijl Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Wood

Set of 8 Wm. Rietveld Stacking Pyramid Chairs

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H 31.75 in W 18.75 in D 21 in

Set of 8 Wm. Rietveld Stacking Pyramid Chairs

By Gerrit Rietveld, Ahrend de Cirkel

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This rare chair won a famous ‘Signe d’Or’ design award in 1960. These bone enameled framed chairs are from the first series and have a sturdy teak seat and back. An extremely durable and comfortable chair. Very Original Condition with Visible Scapes to the metal and enamel. Visible Chipping on some of the Wood Surface all adding to the Beauty and character of the chair and design. Set of 8 Stacking...

Category

1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Metal

Gerrit Rietveld dining room chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Gerrit Rietveld dining room 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 Gerrit Rietveld dining room chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 3 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 4 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original dining room chairs by Gerrit Rietveld were created in the modern style in europe during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider dining room chairs by Tobia Scarpa, Ghidini 1961, and Moroso. Prices for Gerrit Rietveld dining room chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,208 and can go as high as $42,300, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,661.

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Questions About Gerrit Rietveld Dining Room Chairs

What is Gerrit Rietveld style?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
Gerrit Rietveld's style reflects the characteristics of De Stijl, a Dutch art movement active in the early 20th century. Rietveld created simple, sleek furniture designs easily manufactured in mass by machines. Shop a variety of Gerrit Rietveld furniture on 1stDibs.
What materials does Gerrit Rietveld use?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
Gerrit Rietveld used a variety of materials. He was one of the first furniture makers to employ plywood and aluminum in furniture designs. Two of his most famous pieces are the Red Blue chair and the Zig Zag chair. Shop a selection of Gerrit Rietveld furniture on 1stDibs.