Although best known for his photography, Geraldo de Barros was an important contributor to the canon of mid-century modern furniture design and was one of Brazil’s most influential multidisciplinary artists. He was a cofounder of the furniture company Unilabor in 1954.
Born in 1923 in Chavantes, São Paulo, de Barros began his artistic career as a painter before discovering a passion for photography in the 1940s.
In the early 1950s, de Barros traveled throughout Europe, including Switzerland, where he met Bauhaus graduate Max Bill. At the time, Bill was collaborating with the Scholl Foundation on developing a design institute in Ulm, Germany, that combined Bauhaus tradition with emerging technical elements in design practice. Bill invited de Barros to visit the institute, where he became influenced by Bill’s philosophy of Gute Form — the belief that carefully designed objects could bring artistic values into homes.
Upon his return to São Paulo, de Barros delved into furniture design. Along with engineer Justino Cardoso, metalworker Antônio Thereza, and a Dominican priest, Friar João Batista Pereira dos Santos, he founded the furniture company and Christian cooperative Unilabor on the outskirts of São Paulo in the mid-1950s.
As the chief designer at Unilabor, de Barros incorporated the concept of Concrete art into many of his pieces, particularly his armchairs. His dining room chairs, bookcases, coffee tables and desks were also designed with straight lines, sobriety and functionality in mind and made with natural materials such as rosewood, jacaranda and iron, while the doors of Unilabor cabinets and tables saw an integration of Formica.
Hallmarks of Brazilian mid-century design include the use of these native materials as well as smooth, sculptural forms, and the popularity of the region’s modernist furniture of the 1940s and ’50s has made household names of de Barros and designers such as Oscar Niemeyer, Sergio Rodrigues and José Zanine Caldas.
Given that it was more of a cooperative with a social mission than it was a manufacturer, Unilabor paid well and offered innovative modular furniture by way of de Barros-designed components that were produced serially to be used in the construction of complete furnishings.
Despite Unilabor’s success, the company ran into economic difficulties and eventually closed. Undaunted, de Barros founded another furniture company in 1964 — Hobjeto Indústria e Comércio de Móveis — where he focused on progressive furniture design with more geometric shapes.
During the 1960s, de Barros continued with furniture design and, as a painter, became interested in Pop art and abstract movements, founding influential groups such as Grupo 15, Galeria Rex and Grupo Ruptura.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Unilabor furniture.
Brazilian Midcentury Modern - Geraldo de Barros Unilabor Desk / Console, 1950s
By Geraldo de Barros, Unilabor
Located in São Paulo, SP
Rare desk / console designed by Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor, Brazil, circa 1950s. The piece is an authentic period example of Brazilian modern design and reflects Unilabor’s pione...
Iron
$16,000
H 30 in W 71 in D 31 in
Brazilian Modern Six-Drawer Rosewood & Iron Desk by Geraldo de Barros, 1950s
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
A structurally confident Brazilian Modern desk attributed to Geraldo de Barros, executed in solid rosewood and veneer with a minimalist black iron frame. The rectangular top floats a...
Hardwood
$5,500
H 21.3 in W 29.1 in D 14 in
Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor Bar Cart in Jacaranda & Hardwood, Brazil, 1960s
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
A refined example of Brazilian modernist functionalism, this two-tier bar cart—also known as a tea trolley—was designed by Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor in the 1960s. Executed in so...
Metal
$15,000 / set
H 17 in W 21 in D 15 in
Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor Pair of Brazilian Rosewood Nightstands, Brazil
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
This elegant pair of Brazilian Modern nightstands, designed by Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor in the 1950s, exemplifies the refined materiality and social ethos that defined one of B...
Metal
$16,800
H 25.48 in W 42.13 in D 23.71 in
Rosewood Desk Brazilian Midcentury Design by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Original condition.
Wood
$10,500 / set
H 29 in W 43 in D 20 in
Brazilian Mid-century Desk with Armchair, Geraldo de Barros for Unilabor, 1950s
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Geraldo de Barros (1923–1998), this desk and matching chair exemplify the designer’s disciplined approach to structure and material within Brazilian modernism. Closely al...
Metal
$32,200
H 28.55 in W 55.12 in D 29.53 in
Rosewood Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted Rosewood Desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) belonged to BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING, a Brazilian publisher founded in 1952 and closed in 2000, wh...
Rosewood
Vintage Passementerie Workbench, 1950s
Located in Andrézieux-Bouthéon, FR
Vintage Passementerie Workbench, 1950s Vintage Design Old piece of furniture of passementerie coming from a manufacture of Lyon. Additional information: Materials: Metal, Wood Colo...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Tea Cart by Geraldo de Barros, 1950s
By Geraldo de Barros, Unilabor
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Tea Cart by Geraldo de Barros, 1950s Geraldo de Barros crafted an ingenious tea cart featuring a unique four-level structure. Made of wood with Formica tops, this compact cart stands out with two larger levels at the top and bottom, and two smaller intermediary levels providing essential support. The tea cart's tiered design serves both aesthetic and practical purposes. The combination of wood and Formica showcases a harmonious blend of classic warmth and modern sleekness. The Formica tops, in addition to their contemporary appeal, offer a functional, easy-to-clean surface, enhancing the cart's durability and usability. Practicality meets style as the larger top level provides space for teapots and cups...
Metal
$13,600
H 29.5 in W 66.9 in D 35.4 in
Geraldo de Barros “Torm” Conference Dining Table in Chrome & Rosewood, Brazil
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
A masterwork of Brazilian modernism, this rare Torm conference dining table by Geraldo de Barros exemplifies the disciplined geometry and material boldness that defined progressive B...
Chrome
1950s Antique Wooden Carpenter's Workbench
Located in Marbella, ES
Authentic mid-20th-century carpenter's bench crafted from solid wood. This piece retains its original patina and the charm of handcrafted use, with functional details such as the sid...
Wood
$5,800
H 29.93 in W 50.79 in D 23.23 in
Architectural Desk in Iron and Wood, by Unilabor, Brazilian Mid-Century Modern
By Unilabor
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Unilabor was an important Brazilian furniture manufacturer during the mid-20th century, particularly known for its modernist designs and social business model. Founded in São Paulo b...
Metal, Steel
Coffee table by Geraldo de Barros
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Coffee table by Geraldo de Barros. Brazil, 1950's. Manufactured by Unilabor. Manufacturer's label. Wood, black painted metal, brass details. 110 x 45 x h 53 cm. 43.3 x 17.7 x h 20 in. Literature: Arich Chen, Brazil modern. The rediscovery of Twentieth-Century Brazilian Furniture...
Brass, Metal