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Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Brazilian, Portuguese, 1906-1992

The Portugese-born furniture designer Joaquim Tenreiro was a pioneer of modernism in Brazil, where his work paved the way for the successes of such mid-20th-century design greats as Sergio Rodrigues, Jorge Zalszupin, and Lina Bo Bardi, an Italian-Brazilian architect whose futuristic São Paulo buildings are only part of her legacy.

Tenreiro’s vintage tables, chairs and storage cabinets are known for their simplicity of line and an elegance that is enhanced by the use of richly grained South American hardwoods such as jacaranda and imbuia. 

Tenreiro’s father and grandfather were both master woodworkers, under whom he trained in the craft. He had artistic leanings and in the late 1920s enrolled as a university student at the School of Arts and Crafts in Rio de Janeiro, where he joined a group of upstart modernists protesting the staid, retrograde curriculum at the college. At the time, Brazil was culturally mired in a 19th-century mindset that was reflected in an upper-class preference for academic painting and reproduction furnishings in antique European styles. But the progressive spirit that Tenreiro and his colleagues fostered slowly gained force.

With the terms “lightness” and “functionality” as his bywords, Tenreiro opened a furniture-design business in 1943, where one of his first clients was the legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer. The arrival of Brazil’s first democratically elected government, in 1945, lent modernism official sanction, which culminated in the construction of the new capital, Brasília. Tenreiro eventually stepped away from design in the late 1960s to devote his time to sculpture and painting. 

To appreciate how revolutionary Tenreiro’s work seemed, one must imagine the heavy, ornately carved, deeply varnished furniture that was the standard for top-end Brazilian interior design in the 1930s. Tenreiro’s chairs and sofas employed slender, softly angular frames that were only lightly stained to highlight the grains of the local woods. He preferred chairs and chaises with caned seats and backrests that “breathe” in the tropical climate, and as a carpenter and joiner he wanted to show off the beauty of Brazilian wood.

Two versions of a three-legged side chair introduced in 1947 serve as a veritable manifesto for a new age in Brazilian design: Using the stack-lamination technique, Tenreiro bonded together a gently contoured seat made of alternating layers of different-colored native woods to produce a magnificent stripe effect. These chairs, like all Tenreiro works, demonstrate the enduring power of simple design and superb construction — with a teaspoon of flair.

Find vintage Joaquim Tenreiro furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Joaquim Tenreiro
Mid-Century Modern Low chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
Mid-Century Modern Low chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

Mid-Century Modern Low chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

Mid-Century Modern Low chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in Deerfield Beach, FL

Mid-Century Modern Low chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s Joaquim Tenreiro low lounge chair with a wood frame and a woven caning seat and backrest, Brazil, 1960s. The chair fe...

Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960
Mid-Century Modern Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960

Mid-Century Modern Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960

Mid-Century Modern Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This exquisitely crafted Rosewood Curved Chair With Stick Back, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. It...

Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Rosewood

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro during the height of Brazilian Modernism, this rare set of ten dining chairs exemplifies Tenreiro’s refined synthesis of structure, comfort, and material...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

Mid-Century 1948 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Set of 4 Chairs
Mid-Century 1948 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Set of 4 Chairs

Mid-Century 1948 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Set of 4 Chairs

Mid-Century 1948 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Set of 4 Chairs

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in London, GB

This set of four chairs, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in 1948, is a refined example of Brazilian modernist furniture. Crafted in peroba wood with woven straw seats, the chairs reflec...

Category

1940s Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Straw, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s
Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This set of eight exquisitely crafted Cane Chairs in Amendoim Wood, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1960s, is a gorgeous example of his mastery of technical and const...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Hardwood

Brazilian Modern Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood & Cane, 1960s
Brazilian Modern Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood & Cane, 1960s

Brazilian Modern Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood & Cane, 1960s

Brazilian Modern Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood & Cane, 1960s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This exceptional pair of chairs, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in the 1960s, represents one of the most refined expressions of Brazilian modernism and stands among the designer’s most...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Hardwood

Pair of Lounge Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Pair of Lounge Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Pair of Lounge Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in San Francisco, CA

A pair of chairs in Jacaranda and upholstered in black faux leather, made in Brazil, circa 1950 by Joaquim Tenreiro. A total of four chairs are available.

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Faux Leather, Jacaranda

Scarce pair of estolril chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Scarce pair of estolril chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Scarce pair of estolril chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Scarce pair of estolril chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR

Très rare paire de chaises par Joaquim Tenreiro.

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Imbuia

Set of 6 Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design
Set of 6 Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design

Set of 6 Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design

Set of 6 Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This exquisitely crafted chair made of Perobinha-do-campo Wood, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. It...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

Brazilian Modern "Curva" Chair in Rosewood & Caning, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
Brazilian Modern "Curva" Chair in Rosewood & Caning, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

Brazilian Modern "Curva" Chair in Rosewood & Caning, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

Brazilian Modern "Curva" Chair in Rosewood & Caning, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906–1992) in 1961–1962, the Curva chair is one of the designer’s most refined and recognizable seating designs. It exemplifies Tenreiro’s ability to un...

Category

20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Hardwood, Cane

Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury Design
Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury Design

Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury Design

Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury Design

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This exquisitely crafted rosewood curved chair with stick back designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1961/1962 evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aes...

Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Rosewood

Mid-Century 1950 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Pair of Easy Chairs
Mid-Century 1950 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Pair of Easy Chairs

Mid-Century 1950 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Pair of Easy Chairs

Mid-Century 1950 Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Pair of Easy Chairs

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in London, GB

The "Low Bedroom Chair" is a perfect example of Tenreiro's innovation, mastery, and eye for detail. Produced for Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos in the 1950's, this rare model is made o...

Category

1950s Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Straw, Wood

Pair of Low Bedroom Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1950s
Pair of Low Bedroom Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1950s

Pair of Low Bedroom Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1950s

Pair of Low Bedroom Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Delicate and refined, this pair of low bedroom chairs exemplifies Joaquim Tenreiro’s exploration of structure and lightness. Crafted in peroba do campo wood with cane seats and backs...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1953
Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1953

Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1953

Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1953

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in West Hollywood, CA

This variation of the Curved Armchair (Poltrona Curva) softens Tenreiro’s geometric rigor with raw silk upholstery and gently rounded forms — a sculptural yet comfortable presence.

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Rosewood

Cadeira curva
Cadeira curva

Cadeira curva

Cadeira curva

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in Collonge-Bellerive, GE

Bring timeless sophistication to any interior with these rare Cadeira Curva chairs by the renowned Joaquim Tenreiro, a key figure in Brazilian mid-century design. Known for his metic...

Category

20th Century Brazilian Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Wood, Imbuia

Mid-Century Modern Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s
Mid-Century Modern Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

Mid-Century Modern Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

Mid-Century Modern Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Made of solid rosewood with slatted backs and cane seats, these chairs were designed in the 1950s. As in many of Tenreiro’s works, lightness is not only a matter of weight but of gra...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Rosewood

Brazilian Mid Century Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950
Brazilian Mid Century Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950

Brazilian Mid Century Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950

Brazilian Mid Century Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906–1992), these dining chairs exemplify the designer’s pioneering role in shaping Brazilian modern furniture during the mid-20th century. Often regard...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

Rocking Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1950s
Rocking Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1950s

Rocking Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1950s

Rocking Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Crafted in jacarandá rosewood with woven caning, this elegant rocking chair exemplifies Joaquim Tenreiro’s mastery of proportion and lightness. The refined geometry and restrained us...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Rosewood

Set of Six Dining Chairs in Caviúna Wood & Green Mohair, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1955
Set of Six Dining Chairs in Caviúna Wood & Green Mohair, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1955

Set of Six Dining Chairs in Caviúna Wood & Green Mohair, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1955

Set of Six Dining Chairs in Caviúna Wood & Green Mohair, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1955

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

This rare set of six dining chairs, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in the 1950s, exemplifies the designer’s pivotal role in shaping Brazilian modernism through clarity of structure, ma...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Hardwood, Mohair

Rare set of chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Rare set of chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare set of chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare set of chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR

Jolie set de six chaises par Joaquim Tenreiro ( possibilité de douze) Tout est d’origine.

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Faux Leather, Wood, Paint

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in Deerfield Beach, FL

Pair of Mid-Century Modern armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil 1960s This pair of square armchairs designed by Joaquim Tenreiro is a stunning examp...

Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Plywood

Mid-Century Modern Leve Armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942
Mid-Century Modern Leve Armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942

Mid-Century Modern Leve Armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942

Mid-Century Modern Leve Armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

The Light Armchair marked the first design Tenreiro fully claimed as his own—an early expression of his modern vision. For him, lightness wasn’t about weight but about elegance, prop...

Category

1940s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Upholstery Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1956
Mid-Century Modern Upholstery Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1956

Mid-Century Modern Upholstery Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1956

Mid-Century Modern Upholstery Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1956

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in Deerfield Beach, FL

Mid-Century Modern upholstery lounge chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil 1956 Designed in 1956 in Brazil by the designer Joaquim Tenreiro, this lounge chair features splayed feet in...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Brazilian Modern 4 Chair Set in Hardwood & Cane, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s
Brazilian Modern 4 Chair Set in Hardwood & Cane, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s

Brazilian Modern 4 Chair Set in Hardwood & Cane, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s

Brazilian Modern 4 Chair Set in Hardwood & Cane, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Executed in Brazilian rosewood (jacarandá), this set of four dining chairs reflects the restrained structural language of mid-century Brazilian design. The composition is disciplined...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Hardwood

Joaquim Tenreiro Dining Chairs, Solid Wood and Fabric, MidCentury, Brazil, 1950s
Joaquim Tenreiro Dining Chairs, Solid Wood and Fabric, MidCentury, Brazil, 1950s

Joaquim Tenreiro Dining Chairs, Solid Wood and Fabric, MidCentury, Brazil, 1950s

Joaquim Tenreiro Dining Chairs, Solid Wood and Fabric, MidCentury, Brazil, 1950s

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in New York, NY

Available in eight units, this set of dining chairs was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1950s. Much like Tenreiro's other creations, this sense of lightness transcend...

Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Joaquim Tenreiro, Set of 8 Chairs Variant of the “Cadeira baixa para quarto”
Joaquim Tenreiro, Set of 8 Chairs Variant of the “Cadeira baixa para quarto”

Joaquim Tenreiro, Set of 8 Chairs Variant of the “Cadeira baixa para quarto”

Joaquim Tenreiro, Set of 8 Chairs Variant of the “Cadeira baixa para quarto”

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in Barcelona, ES

Joaquim Tenreiro, (1906-1992) Price is per Chair Rare set of 8 chairs variant of the “Cadeira baixa para quarto” Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos Brasil, 1950 Jacarand...

Category

1950s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Cane, Jacaranda

Set of four "First Chairs" by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942.
Set of four "First Chairs" by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942.

Set of four "First Chairs" by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942.

Set of four "First Chairs" by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942.

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in São Paulo, BR

Joaquim Tenreiro, a renowned Brazilian furniture designer, created The First Chair in 1942. This chair holds significance as one of the earliest examples of modern furniture design i...

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Wood

Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in London, England

Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro.

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Glass, Hardwood

Rare armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro
Rare armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro

Rare armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro

By Joaquim Tenreiro

Located in London, England

Extremely rare and iconic armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro.

Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Chairs

Materials

Hardwood, Cane

Joaquim Tenreiro chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Joaquim Tenreiro 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 Joaquim Tenreiro chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro were created in the mid-century modern style in south america during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider chairs by Sergio Rodrigues, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, and Geraldo de Barros. Prices for Joaquim Tenreiro chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $9,600 and can go as high as $80,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $32,861.

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