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.
$219Sale Price|20% Off
Ars Munda Flowers Wall Decoration Brutalism 1960s
Located in Poperinge, BE
Vintage Brutalist-style wall art, sculpture mounted on a narrow white shelf, made entirely of resin, by Ars Munda, Germany, 1960s-70s. Ars Munda was an artist collective that primar...
Resin
$17,900 / item
Black Solid Wood Sculpture by Escalona, Still Stand 102
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Dark Elegance of Abstract Black Solid Wood Captured by Escalona, Still Stand No102 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Eac...
Hardwood
20th Century School Brutalist Bronze Figurative Sculpture Of A Woman
Located in Germantown, MD
20th Century School Brutalist Bronze Figurative Sculpture Of A Woman standind on one leg. Measures 9" in width, 8" in depth and stand 19" tall. We...
Bronze
Brutalist Sculpture by Dimitri Hadzi
By Dimitri Hadzi
Located in New York, NY
Bronze, brass and wood cabinet scale Brutalist sculpture by noted sculptor Dimitri Hadzi. Intriguing abstract mixed metal example signed on the base, as shown.
Brass, Bronze, Iron
Svelte Elefante Console 18, NONO Design, Tactile Oak Finish
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Svelte Elefante Console 18, NONO Design, Tactile Oak Finish ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting El...
Hardwood
A Decorative French Shabby Brutalist Decoy Duck This is a good sound piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Decorative French Shabby Brutalist Decoy Duck This is a good sound piece of French Country living, our decoy has metal wings, tail and beak, a flat underside and he floats very c...
Wood
Unseen Force #52: Solid Oak Table, Joel Escalona's Functional Art
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Unseen Force #52: Solid Oak Table, Joel Escalona's Functional Art Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to the nature of the production process, each piece may vary in grain, texture, shape or even size. The dimensions provided refer to the table only. The dimensions and shape of the sculpture may vary. — About the Concept. Unseen Force Coffee Tables and Side Tables, design by Joel Escalona for NONO When Tables Talk Art...
Hardwood
Brutalist Sculpture Abstracted Plant Forms on Terracotta Base
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist stylized plant form growing out of the terracotta earth base. Well done metal work reminiscent of Paul Evans, or Jere.
Metal
$770Sale Price|30% Off
Paco Valle Brutalist Metal Wire Sculpture Man And Woman Paul Evans Style
By Paul Evans
Located in Wayne, NJ
Very Detailed Paco Valle Brutalist Metal Wirework Wire Work Sculpture Of A Man And Woman Lovers . Would go wonderful with both Paul Evans , Cutis C. Jere an...
Metal
Large Scale Brutalist Gilt Metal Pelican Sculpture Ashtray Stand
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Large scale, brutalist gilt metal pelican bird sculpture. American Mid century handcrafted metal Pelican Ashtray Stand. This stylish sculpture of a pel...
Metal
Brutalist Cast Aluminum Door Panel in the style of Paul Evans, 1960s
By Paul Evans
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Wall sculpture - abstract decoration Large cast aluminum door panel from the 1960s. Its brutalist design is clearly influenced by the metal sculptures associated with Paul Evans. The...
Aluminum
Rick Owens Cast Bronze Coupe Vase Black Patina
By Rick Owens
Located in Chicago, IL
The now iconic bronze coupe vase from the Rick Owens bronze relic collection. This is shown in the black patina. Designed in 2012. Each bronze is signed. Can be used as vase or sculp...
Bronze
Mother and Child Bronze by José Mariano Pagés Sculpture
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Exceptional bronze sculpture signed "Page´s '69". Sculpture has a very rich patina to the heavily articulated bronze surface and is seated on a marble base. Excellent modernist examp...
Marble, Bronze
$2,200 / item
Sculptural Vessels in Gray by Sonja Duo-Meyer
By Sonja Duó-Meyer
Located in New York, NY
Sculptural vessels in an ovoid form with walled aperture. Hand-built of gray chamotte Limoges porcelain by Swiss ceramic artist Sonja Duo-Meyer (b. 1953) and executed circa 1995. The...
Porcelain
20th Century School Brutalist Bronze Sculpture of Standing Woman, Signed
Located in Germantown, MD
A brutalist bronze sculpture of well dressed standing woman in good vintage condition. Measures 6" in width, 6" in depth and stands 18.25" tall. Signed on base
Bronze
"Tashlich" by Samuel M Segal Judaism Vintage Brutalist Green Plaster Sculpture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Tashlich" by Samuel M Segal Judaism Vintage Brutalist Green Plaster Sculpture. Item features painted plaster, brutalist form, brass plaque to base, impressive vintage sculpture."Tas...
Plaster
A Sleek, Dark Burned Oak Totem, Carved into Modern Art, NONO's Still Stand No99
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
A Sleek, Dark Burned Oak Totem, Carved into Modern Art, NONO's Still Stand No99 _ Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is ...
Hardwood
James Bearden Trio of Brutalist Metal Giraffe Sculptures, Signed
Located in Dallas, TX
Brutalist style giraffe sculptures by James Bearden. Signed JB on the underside of one giraffe. Measurements of each as follows: Measures: 17.75"H x 3"W x 3.25"D 15.5"H x 2.75"W x 3...
Metal
1950s French Wooden Female Sculpture – Expressive Carved Figure with Draped Skir
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
1950s French Wooden Female Sculpture – Expressive Carved Figure with Draped Skirt Description: This beautiful sculpture of a woman is carved fro...
Wood
Monumental & Unique James Bearden 'Venus' Voids Series Sculpture Blackened Steel
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed and studio-made in the US by American craftsman James Bearden, this incredible sculpture features a super strong and distinct design. Set on a thick square column base, the ...
Stainless Steel
Carved Elegance, Black Solid Wood Still Stand No80 by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carved Elegance, Black Solid Wood Still Stand No80 by NONO —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testament to the ...
Hardwood
Brutaliste sculpture en bois et acier " Le messager " de l'artiste Ankh
Located in Meyrin, Switzerland
Sculpture de l’artiste sculptrice Ankh, diplômée des Arts Décoratifs de Genève (1980). Issue des premières séries de la sculptrice intitulée " Vers je ne sais quelle étoile " et " L...
Steel
Taurus, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak, Abstract Sculpture, Bull, Handmade, Black
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Taurus, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak
Oak
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Bronze Sculpture Romantic Dreams by Susanne Vertel
Located in New York, NY
Stylized cast bronze sculpture depicting three women in reclining position by noted sculptor Susanne Vertel. This sculpture is part of a limited edition...
Bronze
$15,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Artisanal Unseen Force #68: Joel Escalona's Crafted Oak Table, Elegance & Form
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Artisanal Unseen Force #68: Joel Escalona's Crafted Oak Table, Elegance & Form Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to the nature of the production process, each piece may vary in grain, texture, shape or even size. The dimensions provided refer to the table only. The dimensions and shape of the sculpture may vary. — About the Concept. Unseen Force Coffee Tables and Side Tables, design by Joel Escalona for NONO When Tables Talk Art...
Hardwood
Two Heavy Southwest Kokopelli Metal Sculptures Bookends
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Two heavy signed Southwest Kokopelli metal sculptures. The sculpture features Kokopelli, a fertility deity in the shape of a humpbacked figure playing the flute. The sculpture an...
Metal
Still Stand No78, Elegance Redefined in Burned Oak by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elegance in Black Solid Wood by NONO, Still Stand No78 Redefined —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testament ...
Hardwood
Brutalist Hanging Wall Sculpture by Bill Heise, Found Objects
By Bill Heise
Located in Buffalo, NY
Brutalist hanging wall sculpture by Bill Heise. Found objects, hand executed from found objects, welded The pieces are crafted from turn-of-the-century farm equipment collected from the fields of Vermont, maritime parts salvaged from around the Bay Area, and railroad components, antique tools, and other vintage metal found throughout America. The delicate lines and whimsical nature of Heise sculptures often defy the rugged origins of each component part. Railroad spikes, plough discs, pitchforks, shovel blades, and a myriad of other parts are transformed into birds in flight, cows out to pasture, tropical fish, and a variety of other wildlife forms. And there's always an interesting story behind each piece, be it the eighty something farmer who helped me retrieve equipment from the "back forty," frozen hands from digging a hay rake...
Metal, Steel
Giovanni 'John’ Bucci Metal Art Sculpture, 1960s
Located in Savannah, GA
Giovanni 'John' Bucci (Italian-American, 1935-2019) A welded metal sculpture composed of various found metal pieces, 1960s. 17 inches wide by 18 ¼ inches tall by 8 inches deep
Metal
Sleek, Dark Abstract Design in Black Solid Wood by Escalona, Still Stand No96
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sleek, Dark Abstract Design in Black Solid Wood by Escalona, Still Stand No96 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is ...
Hardwood
Brutalist Vintage Steel Fish Sculpture 1960's in the Manner of Fantoni
Located in Wilton, CT
Large vintage Brutalist steel sculpture of fishes fashioned from old pliers and a sheet metal snip. In the manner of Marcello Fantoni. The steel has been drizzled with solder to give...
Steel
Zinc agave plant sculpture on pedestal stand by Domani modern Sutherland
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
Produced by Domani Design/ Belgium ZInc agave plant in urn atop rectangular pedestal approx 23 x 23 inches diameter x 76 inches high
Zinc
Anne Van Kleeck standing woman brutalist bronze
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Anne Van Kleeck American… 1922 - 1998. this is a modernist bronze female sculpture, her face is beautifully sculpted, and her clothing is draped in a modernness fashion covering her ...
Bronze
$9,364Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Buffet 19, Oak Stalwart, Tiered Shelving Design
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Buffet 19, Oak Stalwart, Tiered Shelving Design ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Craf...
Hardwood
$260Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Signed Raw Metal Torch Cut Flower Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
Brutalist raw metal torch cut flower sculpture, circa 1983. The sculpture is in very good vintage condition and measures 10"W x 5"D x 14.5"H; it is signed and mumbered on the side. G...
Metal
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
The Abstract Elegance of Burned Oak, Dark and Sleek, by Escalona, Still Stand 98
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Abstract Elegance of Burned Oak, Dark and Sleek, by Escalona, Still Stand No98 _ Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one ...
Hardwood
Still Stand Abstract, Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak, By Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Still Stand Abstract Biomorphic Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak
Oak
Joel Escalona Defines Sleek, Dark Burned Oak in Abstract Design, Still Stand 96
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona Defines Sleek, Dark Burned Oak in Abstract Design, Still Stand No96 _ Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one i...
Hardwood
Burned Oak Sculpture, Abstract Elegance by Escalona, Captured in Still Stand 85
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Burned Oak Sculpture, Abstract Elegance by Escalona, Captured in Still Stand No85 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each on...
Hardwood
Contemporary Steel Brutalist Sculpture
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Studio steel sculpture of animal using found objects. Sculpture measures 26" wide, 15" deep and 26" high.
Steel
Abstract Modern Wood Sculpture, Still Stand No1 by Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
“Still Stand” sculptures by Joel Escalona Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testament to the power of the material...
Hardwood
$9,364Sale Price / item|20% Off
Elefante by NONO Console 20, Slender Oak Elegance, Substantial Presence
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elefante by NONO Console 20, Slender Oak Elegance, Substantial Presence ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a ...
Hardwood
Brutalist School of Fish Brass & Burlwood Sculpture in the Style of Curtis Jere
Located in San Diego, CA
Cool and unique brass welded school of fish sculpture circa 1970s in brass finish, sitting on burlwood base.
Brass
Large Brancusi Inspired Abstract Brutalist Sculpture, Signed Gary Brandt
By Brancusi, (after) Salvador Dali, Gary Brandt, Rene Brancusi
Located in Houston, TX
Large Mid-Century Modern heavy metal Brutalist sculpture singed Gary Brandt. This heavyweight Postmodern sculpture in the style of Rene Brancusi i...
Metal
Dark Modern Totem, Black Solid Wood, Vision by Escalona, Still Stand No81
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Dark Modern Totem, Black Solid Wood, Vision by Escalona, Still Stand No81—— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a tes...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Joel Escalona's Sleek Dark Totem in Black Solid Wood, Still Stand No92
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona's Sleek Dark Totem in Black Solid Wood, Still Stand No92 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testam...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Unveiling Modern Elegance, Dark Black Solid Wood, Still Stand No89 by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Unveiling Modern Elegance, Dark Black Solid Wood, Still Stand No89 by NONO —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a t...
Hardwood
NONO Crafts Dark Elegance, Biomorphic Burned Oak, Still Stand No93
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Crafts Dark Elegance, Biomorphic Burned Oak, Still Stand No93—— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. ...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Carved from Elegance, Still Stand No80 in Burned Oak by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carved from Elegance, Still Stand No80 in Burned Oak by NONO —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testament to th...
Hardwood
Brutalist Bronze Sculpture on red marble base by unknown artist, Yugoslavia 1970
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find an abstract Yugoslav modernist sculpture executed in patinated metal on a richly veined red marble base, most likely dating from the 1960s–1970s. The wo...
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Handmade Sculptures by American Artist PKW
Located in Grand Rapids, MI
Pair of handmade sculptures by American artist PKW. Rusted steel mounted into a solid fallen wood base. Signed on bases. As a pair they are a great mismatched pair with excellent sca...
Steel
Dark Elegance, Biomorphic Black Solid Wood Crafted by NONO, Still Stand No93
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Dark Elegance, Biomorphic Black Solid Wood Crafted by NONO, Still Stand No93 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and ...
Hardwood
Sculptural Elegance Unseen Force #53: Joel Escalona's Solid Wood Coffee Table
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Elegance Unseen Force #53: Joel Escalona's Solid Wood Coffee Table Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to the ...
Hardwood
Brutalist Sculpture by Ronald Gonzalez, American, circa 1996 Axe Man
Located in Hudson, NY
Fantastic sculpture by American artist Ronald Gonzalez. Titled Axe Man and created in the 1990s. This item is accompanied with a letter of authenticity from the artist. Ronald Mario Gonzalez is a sculptor and installation artist known for transforming timeworn objects and abject materials into haunting serial forms. Since the mid-1970s, Gonzalez has developed a distinctive visual language through reimagining discarded fragments as vessels of memory, identity, and mortality. His practice privileges process and improvisation through material invention and object investigations giving human presence and psychological weight to evocative heads, figures, and assemblages that explore loss and the reclaiming of history and memory. Gonzalez constructs an unsettling, yet deeply resonant sculptural universe memorializing and animating the passage of time and existential complexities of the human condition. His work has been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions including the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D C. De Cordova Museum & Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA. Savanna College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA. The Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS. Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, MI. Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY. Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art, NY. Fisher Gallery, University of Southern California, LA. Allan Stone Gallery, NY. Salina Art Center, KS. Jonathan Levine Projects, Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ. Intar Gallery, NY. Anthony Brunelli...
Steel, Iron
Brutalist School - Abstract Bronze With Green Patina
Located in BARSAC, FR
Brutalist school, 1950s. Abstract bronze with a green patina on a hard limestone base. Similar to the works of the German sculptor Otto Hitzberger (1878-1964). This sculptu...
Bronze
Vintage Monumental Bronze Abstract Sculpture
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This monumental bronze sculpture is a tour de force of late 20th-century abstract art. Its biomorphic, intertwining forms evoke the organic modernism of masters like Henry Moore and ...
Bronze
William Bowie Brutalist Birds Sculpture
Located in New Windsor, NY
Signed William Bowie brutalist flying bird sculpture. Circa 1970. Signed, Bowie, on the lowest portion of the sculpture. Mounted on a wood block base. Each wing is gilt. Good overa...
Metal, Aluminum
$9,364Sale Price / item|20% Off
Minimalist Elefante Console 13, NONO Signature Oak, Balanced Structure
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Minimalist Elefante Console 13, NONO Signature Oak, Balanced Structure ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a M...
Hardwood
Biomorphic Burned Oak Elegance, Still Stand No83, Crafted by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Biomorphic Burned Oak Elegance, Still Stand No83, Crafted by NONO —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. ...
Hardwood
Wood Sculpture, Burned Oak Masterpiece by Joel Escalona, Still Stand No100
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Wood Sculpture, Burned Oak Masterpiece by Joel Escalona, Still Stand No100 _ Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a tes...
Hardwood