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.
Large burtalist wal sculpture, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Architectural brutalist wall mounted sculpture made from cast metal. - Cat tail shaped. Imposing wall sculpture 1970s - Belgium Height: 200cm Width: 95cm Ref.: 2508120402 *All i...
Metal
Sleek Black Solid Wood Sculpture, NONO's Art, Still Stand No82
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sleek Black Solid Wood Sculpture, NONO's Art, Still Stand No82 Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene ...
Hardwood
$1,080Sale Price|28% Off
Brutalist Sculptural Lamp
Located in Redding, CT
Brutalist sculptural lamp with gilt surface. Angelic in shape and elegant in movement this sculpture is united with illumination. Heavy gilded sculptur...
Plaster
$11,706 / item
NONO Elefante Stand 05, Oak Beauty, Versatile Elegance
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Stand 05, Oak Beauty, Versatile Elegance————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist Touch N...
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
Brutalist Wooden Sculpture, Hand-Carved, France, Mid-20th Century
Located in TOURS, FR
This exceptional mid-century sculpture showcases the raw, expressive qualities of Brutalist design through an organic lens. Hand-carved from rich American walnut and accented with a ...
Lead
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Sleek Abstract Sculpture in Burned Oak, Still Stand No82 by NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sleek Abstract Sculpture in Burned Oak, Still Stand No82 by NONO —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a testament t...
Hardwood
Abstract Elegance, Dark, Sleek Black Solid Wood by Escalona, Still Stand No98
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Abstract Elegance, Dark, Sleek Black Solid Wood by Escalona, Still Stand No98 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Elegance in Black Solid Wood by NONO, Still Stand No78 Redefined
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
NONO Elefante Buffet 15, Solid Oak, Understated Design Detail
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Buffet 15, Solid Oak, Understated Design Detail ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO ...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
Train on Track with Smoke by Brutalist Artist Chet Blacketer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful and Heavily Patinated, very large example of Brutalist - a train on a track. The entire piece is a solid unit, very stable and also quite heavy. In the manner of Jere, ...
Iron
Sculpture-Base Unseen Force #67: Joel Escalona's Oak Coffee Table, Unique Design
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculpture-Base Unseen Force #67: Joel Escalona's Oak Coffee Table, Unique Design Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to ...
Hardwood
"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
Gallery-Style Unseen Force #65: Solid Oak Table by Joel Escalona, Luxe Decor
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Gallery-Style Unseen Force #65: Solid Oak Table by Joel Escalona, Luxe Decor 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
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
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
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Sleek and Dark, Joel Escalona's Burned Oak Totem Emerges, Still Stand No92
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sleek and Dark, Joel Escalona's Burned Oak Totem Emerges, Still Stand No92 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a t...
Hardwood
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
In Burned Oak, a Dark Biomorphic Sculpture of Elegance Emerges, Still Stand No97
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
In Burned Oak, a Dark Biomorphic Sculpture of Elegance Emerges, Still Stand No97 _ Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is ...
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
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
Decor-Focused Unseen Force #69: Solid Wood by Joel Escalona, Coffee Table Art
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Decor-Focused Unseen Force #69: Solid Wood by Joel Escalona, Coffee Table Art Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to th...
Hardwood
$11,706 / item
Elefante Oak Sideboard 01, NONO Charm, Sleek Utility
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elefante Oak Sideboard 01, NONO Charm, Sleek Utility ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist Touch N...
Hardwood
Artisan Elefante Sideboard 14, NONO Crafted, Subtle Oak Finish
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Artisan Elefante Sideboard 14, NONO Crafted, Subtle Oak Finish ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernis...
Hardwood
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
$9,364Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Sideboard 17, Oak Durability, Graceful Overhang
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Sideboard 17, Oak Durability, Graceful Overhang ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist ...
Hardwood
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
Elefante Tapered Leg Console 16 by NONO, Oak Craft, Stout Silhouette
$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
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
Unseen Force #60: Solid Wood Coffee Table, Joel Escalona's Decorative Artistry
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Unseen Force #60: Solid Wood Coffee Table, Joel Escalona's Decorative Artistry 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
Fannie Phillips Brutalist Style Metal Bird Sculpture
Located in Winnetka, IL
This is a heavy abstract bronze? Metal sculpture of a pair of birds by Fannie Phillips and inscribed on brass plate on stone plynth.
Metal
Vintage Bronze Abstract Brutalist Bull Fighter Sculpture by Prince Monyo, 1970s
By Prince Monyo
Located in Troy, MI
Vintage Prince Monyo Bronze Abstract Brutalist Sculpture 1970s Rare Bull Fighter sculpture by Prince Monyo Mihailescu-Nasturel (b. Bucharest, 1...
Bronze
Signed Brutalist Bronze Sculpture Of A Dancer
Located in Bridgeport, CT
The sculpture with a rough textured finish and abstract figural form, characteristic of the brutalist style, emphasizes the raw material and focuses on the form and movement over rea...
Marble, Bronze
Brutalist Cast Aluminum Sculpture by DCalvi, Mexico, 1960
By DCalvi
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
Striking Brutalist cast aluminum sculpture by Diana Calvillo, featuring a bold abstract composition with a strong architectural and organic presence. The work is executed in cast al...
Aluminum
Vintage Jack Boyd Brutalist Kinetic Sterling Silver Bangle Bracelet
By Jack Boyd
Located in Southampton, NJ
This striking hand-forged sterling silver bracelet by renowned artist Jack Boyd is a testament to his mastery of sculptural jewelry design. Featuring Boyd’s signature organic forms, ...
Sterling Silver
Anonymous late 20th Century European modern sculpture. Sphere of metal bolts.
Located in København K, 84
Anonymous European modern sculpture. This captivating sculpture, comprised of hundreds of intricately welded metal bolts, converges into a seamless and imposing sphere. This work of...
Metal
Still Stand Abstract Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak, Rustic
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Still Stand Abstract Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak
Oak
Unknown French artist. Brutalistic unique sculpture in dark steel. Late 20th C.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Unknown French artist. Brutalistic unique sculpture in dark steel. Late 20th century. Measures: 18.5 x 9.5 cm. In excellent condition.
Steel
Large Brancusi Inspired Abstract Brutalist Sculpture, Signed Gary Brandt
By Rene Brancusi, Brancusi, (after) Salvador Dali, Gary Brandt
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
$600Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Raw Metal Torch Cut Flower Sculpture by Dan Jordan
Located in San Diego, CA
Brutalist raw metal torch cut flower sculpture by Dan Jordan, circa 1983. The sculpture is in very good vintage condition and measures 12.5"W x 11"D x 17"H; it is signed and dated 19...
Quartz, Metal
Large Signed Bronze Sculpture of a Little Girl by Sergio Unia
Located in Redding, CT
Large Signed Bronze Sculpture of a Little Girl. By Sculptor Serigo Unia. Heavy, solid piece. Brutalist in style. Animated and cartoonish in style. Reminiscent of a character from Cha...
Bronze
BIJAN Metal Sculpture Dog with Birds Pursuit Copper and Brass on Stone Base
By Bijan
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage BIJAN Metal Sculpture Dog with Birds Pursuit Copper and Brass on Stone Base. Mid Century Modern Bijan metal sculpture circa 1960 1970s. T...
Stone, Metal, Brass, Bronze, Copper
Eddie Hackman The Shearer Bronze Figure Limited Edition 1986 Australian Outback
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Eddie Hackman "The Shearer" Bronze Figure Limited Edition 1986 Australian Outback, Signed to Rear. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 4" H x 3.75" W x 2.5" D.
Bronze
Vintage Brutalist Mid Century Steel Metal Family Table Sculpture Signed Hardy
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Brutalist Mid Century Steel Metal Family Table Sculpture Signed Hardy. Item features a sculpture of a man, woman, and child (in the man's arms) unique brutalist design. Signe...
Metal
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
1970s Brass Sculpture Max Finkelstein Machine Texture Artwork California
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1970s Brutalist Sculpture by Max Finkelstein, renowned Southern California artist creating modern machine texture artwork. Brass with welded metal Iron. Signed underneath. 5 W x 4 D ...
Brass, Iron
Large Brutalist Abstract Sculpture by Charles Bound, c.1980
Located in Surbiton, GB
Wood fired stoneware vessel by Charles Bound (b. 1939). Dimensions (cm, approx): Height: 24.
Stoneware
Brutalist Welded Steel Nude Female on Chair Sculpture by Gene Logan for Elrod
By Logan
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Spectacular 1975 Brutalist nude female on chair by listed sculptor Gene Adams Logan 1922-1999 for Arthur Elrod. The Sculpture is published in the Arthur Elrod Book. Constructed of ...
Steel
Brutalist Abstract Bronze Sculpture on Black Marble Plinth Dutch 1980's
Located in London, GB
bronze. The sculpture features a rich and nuanced surface treatment, with deeply textured areas enhanced by a light green patina, contrasting beautifully with the smooth planes that...
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
$600Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Owl Sculpture in Raw Metal on Quartz by Curtis Jere for Artisan House
Located in San Diego, CA
Whimsical brutalist owl sculpture in raw metal on quartz base by Curtis Jere for Artisan House, circa 1967. The sculpture is in very good vintage condition and measures 11.5"W x 4.5...
Quartz, Metal
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
Jacques Lerebourg Welded Steel Brutalist Wall Sculpture
Located in Norwood, NJ
Welded and cut steel abstract Brutalist wall hanging sculpture by French sculptor Jacques Lerebourg. Jacques Lerebourg is a 20th-century French artist known for his abstract and natu...
Steel
Hammered Glass Wrought Iron Sculpture Lamp by Biancardi & Jordan, Italy, 1970s
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Mid-Century Modern sculpture lamp light sconce hammered glass and wrought iron, by the manufacture Biancardi & Jordan in Verona in a Brutalist s...
Wrought Iron
Brutalist Owl on Bench Sculpture in Raw Metal on Quartz by Ken Rains
Located in San Diego, CA
Whimsical brutalist owl on bench sculpture in raw metal on quartz base by Ken Rains, circa 1970s. The sculpture is in very good vintage condition and measures 8"W x 4"D x 5.5"H; it...
Quartz, Metal
Mid Century Brutalist Iron And Slag Abstract Sculpture
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An Elemental welded Iron and Slag Metal Sculpture in Brutalist Style. Signed along the base. A series of four Iron Rings with Rust patina with gray slag metal in between. Mounted on an base. Sculpted by Multidisciplinary Artist Norma Flanagan who during her lifetime worked in Stone, Metal, Ceramics, Painting and Drawing. L. 25", Depth 10 1/2", H. 16 1/2", Diam. largest ring 13...
Iron
1950s Brutalist Bronze Tabletop Sculpture by Costikyan 'Signed'
Located in New York, NY
A bronze tabletop sculpture on rectangular base. Signed Costikyan on underside.
Bronze
Brutalist Ceramic Totem Sculpture — Made to Order - Black - by Ingrid Vermulst
Located in POLOPOS, ES
Brutalist Ceramic Totem Sculpture — Black, by Ingrid Vermulst An imposing, one-of-a-kind ceramic totem by Dutch artist Ingrid Vermulst, handmade in her studio in southern Spain. Bu...
Ceramic
Brutalist Ceramic Totem Sculpture — Black, by Ingrid Vermulst
Located in POLOPOS, ES
Brutalist Ceramic Totem Sculpture — Black, by Ingrid Vermulst An imposing, one-of-a-kind ceramic totem by Dutch artist Ingrid Vermulst, handmade in her studio in southern Spain. Bu...
Ceramic
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