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.
Brutalist Brass Candle Sconces by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1970s, Denmark
By Holm Sørensen, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Set of Brutalist Flame-Cut Brass Candle Sconces made by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen in the 1970s. * Set (2) of different style flame-cut brass wall candlesticks * Designer: Svend Aage...
Brass
$1,090Sale Price|20% Off
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
Brutalist Solid Wood Planter, 1970s
Located in Delft, NL
Brutalist solid wood planter, 1970s.
Wood
Patinated Iron Tree Form Sculpture
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
This tree can of course be used as a decorative piece. Also used as a clothing/hat rack, etc.
Iron
Midcentury German Brutalist Bronze Bowl
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
A very decorative round German mid-century brutalist bowl made of bronze. Dimensions Height: 11 cm / 4.33 inch. Diameter: 20 cm / 7.87 inch. Weight: 3,68 kg
Bronze
$2,320Sale Price|20% Off
Pair of 21st Century Abstract Bronze Floral Sculpture
Located in Augusta, GA
Pair of bronze abstract floral sculpture Hand made in the Brutalist-style by local Atlanta artist Made with a beautiful verdigris patina Made...
Brass, Bronze
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
21st Century Abstract Bronze Floral Sculpture
Located in Augusta, GA
Bronze abstract floral sculpture Hand made in the Brutalist-style by local Atlanta artist Made with a beautiful verdigris patina Made in the ...
Brass, Bronze
Vintage Boho Original Studio Pottery Barnacle Vase
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Imbue your interior with the raw, elemental energy of the 1970s studio pottery movement with this extraordinary vintage cluster vase. A striking example of Brutalist design, this han...
Pottery
Vintage Brutalist Hand Forged Double Vase
Located in Charleston, SC
Excellent vintage 20th Century hand forged metal vase. It has a very thin profile and two necks, one being much taller than the other. The vase is signed but after extensive research...
Metal
Peggy Reventlow Original Bronze Bird Sculpture
By Peggy Reventlow
Located in North Miami, FL
Peggy Reventlow, a great-great granddaughter of John Jacob Astor, Reventlow is an accomplished sculptor. Born in London in 1915, she had her first exhibition at Hammer Galleries...
Marble, Bronze
Vintage Boho Hand Carved Eagle Sculpture
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Make a bold statement with this monumental vintage hand-carved eagle sculpture. Hewn from a single solid log, this imposing figure stands with a stoic, totem-like presence, showcasin...
Wood
Sculpture Probably Produced in Sweden
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Large brutalist sculpture by unknown artist. Probably produced in Sweden. Signed “S. ??? 25/50”.
Bronze
Celtic Card Tray Gold Silver Desk Tray E005 Handmade in Spain
Located in Benahavis, AN
The decorative Celtic Card Tray was created by David Marshall, it is made of sand cast aluminum and sand cast brass.Makes a beautiful Wedding or Company Gift. Handmade, mounted and f...
Aluminum, Brass
Menorah G046 two Coloured Gold Silver Handmade in Spain Tabletop Candlestick
Located in Benahavis, AN
The decorative Menorah was created by David Marshall, it is made of sand cast aluminum and sand cast brass. We can engrave this piece with your Initials or Logo, makes a beautiful W...
Aluminum, Brass
Sculpture of a head in wood, France, 1960
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
A wooden sculpture of a head, France, 1960s, with an expressive and profoundly organic character. Carved from a solid block of wood, this piece reveals a face with soft, introspectiv...
Wood
1990s Brutalist Orange and Gray Fat Lava Ceramic German Vase
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This striking 1990s Modernist German ceramic vase serves as a bold example of the enduring "Fat Lava" tradition, reimagined with a sleek, contemporary silhouette. The piece features ...
Ceramic
Ceramic sculpture in bronze glazing, Dutch, 1970s
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
A striking example of 1970s ceramic artistry, this sculptural piece embodies the raw elegance of the Brutalist movement, paired with the sensual, organic lines reminiscent of mid-cen...
Ceramic
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Bronze Figurative Sculpture by Davis David, 1993
Located in Miami, FL
Brutalist bronze figurative sculpture by Davis David, 1993 Offered is an abstract Brutalist Postmodern figurative bronze sculpture. The bronze sculpture depicts two abstract figur...
Bronze
Rolf Palm Höganäs Stoneware Vase, Sweden 1970s Brutalist
Located in Stockholm, SE
A striking rectangular stoneware vase designed by Swedish ceramicist Rolf Palm for Höganäs Keramik, circa 1970. This sculptural piece exemplifies Scandinavian studio pottery at its f...
Stoneware
Scandinavian Brutalist Glazed 3-neck Stoneware Vase, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Unusual stoneware vase executed in white, brown and maroon drip glazes . It features 3 necks and can be viewed as The Scandinavian Equivalent of Japanese Ikebana. It was made anonymo...
Stoneware
Trapeze Clock D013 handmade in cast brass & aluminium
Located in Benahavis, AN
The decorative Trapeze Clock Tray was created by David Marshall, it is made of sand cast aluminum and sand cast brass.Makes a beautiful Wedding or Company Gift. Handmade, mounted and...
Aluminum, Brass
Hand Built Brutalist Japanese Ceramic Sculpture by Takao Tomono
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ceramic sculpture by Japanese American artist, Takao Tomono. The sculpture features a woven vase like shape with incised geometric detailing. Tomono was b...
Ceramic
Pair of West German Fat Lava Ceramic Vases by Bay Keramik and Uebelacker Keramik
By Bay Keramik
Located in San Diego, CA
A striking and highly sculptural pair of authentic West German “Fat Lava” ceramic vases dating to the late 1960s–early 1970s, featuring vivid volcanic glazes in saturated lava red wi...
Ceramic
Wooden Zodiac Capricorn Wall Plaque Relief Brutalist Midcentury, German, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful wooden wall plaque relief sign, made in the Brutalist style in Germany in the 1970s. This is a wonderful Zodiac sign. This can be used as a Wall decoration or as a decorati...
Wood
Brutalist stippled abstract sculpture in Carrara marble by Anna Mizak
Located in London, GB
Biomorphic abstract sculpture in stippled Carrara marble, on honed plinth. Anna Mizak was born in 1939 in Poland. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and later at the R...
Carrara Marble
Studio Pottery Candle Holder
Located in Fairfield, CA
A vintage studio pottery candle holder. Two toned speckled brown and gray glazes with an applied design on the front and back. Signed on the base.
Pottery
$71,108Sale Price|20% Off
Ermanno Nason Christ of the Glassblowers Murano Glass and Iron Pipes Early 1970s
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
Intense and passionate glass sculpture from Ermanno Nason, using his favorite glass, the acciaio gray. This warm transparent gray color is often used by glass massiccio Sculptors, w...
Iron
Hand-carved Brutalist Black Horse Sculpture done in ebonized wood, Italy 1970s
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a hand-carved Brutalist Horse Sculpture done in wood. Body of the horse is carved out of a single piece of wood...
Wood
Bronze Brutalist Bust Sculpture
Located in Austin, TX
Brutalist bronze bust sculpture. Extremely well done, exquisite detailing.
Bronze
Still Stand Abstract Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Walnut, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Carved from a single solid log, the form rises through a series of open, pierced voids that give the piece a lightness completely at odds with the density of the material. It reads d...
Walnut
Vintage Boho Abstract Figurative Cast Metal Sculpture
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This powerful vintage sculpture captures a fluid, dynamic human form in motion, executed with the rough texture and expressive technique characteristic of Brutalist or Abstract Expre...
Iron
Ceramic Brutalist Vase from Michael Andersen, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Unique ceramic vase displaying exceptional techniques in glazes, Brutalist styling and shape. We have not been able to find any references of this design number/series. Besides the c...
Ceramic
Mid-Century German Brutalist Handmade Pottery Candleholder, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century German Brutalist Handmade Pottery Candleholder, 1960s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969. Additional information: Material: Ceramic Color: Brown Styles: Bru...
Ceramic
Brutalist Celtic Bowl Solid Cast Aluminium and Brass A070 by David Marshall
Located in Benahavis, AN
The decorative Celtic Bowl was created by David Marshall, it is made of sand cast aluminum and sand cast brass. Handmade, mounted and finished in our foundry and workshop in Spain from recycled materials. Certified authentic by the Artist David Marshall with his signature. The Artist is inspired by nature and land scape making functional art and sculptures out of recycled materials. We work with arquitects, interior designers and private clients to create specific designs, signage, staircases etc. for Homes, Hotels, Restaurants. Awards for Charity...
Aluminum, Brass
Sculptural brutalist fruit bowl in aluminium & brass by David Marshall, 1980s
Located in STRASBOURG, FR
Sculptural fruit bowl in aluminum and brass by David Marshall, Art 3 Spain circa 1980. In very good condition, signature is stamped on the inner brass part.
Aluminum, Brass
Small Mid-Century Brutalist Bronze Jug
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
A small decorative German brutalist jug made of bronze. 1960´s. Dimensions Height: 13 cm / 5.11 inch. Diameter: 12 cm / 4.72 inch. Weight: 3,68 kg
Bronze
Vintage Boho Original Studio Pottery Vase
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Discover the tactile allure and expressive form of this petite vintage studio pottery vessel. A unique example of Brutalist ceramic art, this piece features a reticulated body with o...
Pottery
Brutalist Bronze Horse Sculpture on Base
Located in San Diego, CA
Powerful Brutalist bronze sculpture depicting an abstracted horse, characterized by bold massing, angular reduction, and expressive surface modeling, circa 1970s. The elongated equin...
Bronze
$7,200Sale Price|20% Off
Carved Stone Torso Sculpture by J-Muk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Carved Stone Torso Sculpture on wood base, inscribed "J-Muk" by the artist.
Stone
Large vintage mid century brutalist hand forged brass candlesticks
Located in Bristol, GB
A fabulous pair of large vintage candlesticks, hand crafted in solid brass, circa 1960. The candlesticks have a brutalist yet refined mid century feel to them, the slender stem with...
Brass
$3,780 / item
Minimalist Column Planter, APOLLO IV by SIRAK
By SIRAK
Located in Los Angeles, CA
APOLLO IV by Sirak Minimalist Column Planter With its minimalist column design, APOLLO takes inspiration from the finely finished stonework seen in Greek temples constructed in his ...
Concrete
Brutalist Bronze Mounted Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bronze mounted abstract sculpture. The sculpture features four topographical like forms connected to a narrow bronze stem, mounted to a thick limestone base. Signed by the artist. D...
Limestone, Bronze
Mid-Century German Brutalist Porcelain Vase from Wunsiedel Bavaria, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century German Brutalist Porcelain Vase from Wunsiedel Bavaria Porzellan, 1960s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969 This piece has an attribution mark, It is complete...
Porcelain
Vintage Boho Studio Pottery Weed Vase
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Capture the essence of handcrafted artistry with this striking vintage studio pottery weed vase. Its elegant, teardrop silhouette and richly textured, almost primal surface, bearing ...
Pottery, Stoneware
Richard Bitterman Brutalist Bud Vase or Sculpture
Located in Buffalo, NY
Handcrafted Brutalist bud vase or sculpture, 1960s, brass, stee. Plastic test tube, signed R. Bitterman.
Brass, Steel
Acrobatic Man Bronze Sculpture By Pieter Florizoon (1937-2015)
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Acrobatic Man Bronze Sculpture By Pieter Florizoon (1937-2015) Sculpture - Decoration - Vintage Measures : 36cmx24cm H:42cm Wear consistent with age and use.
Bronze
"Prince", Contemporary Sculptural piece in Cast Brass by Estudio Orth
By Estúdio Orth
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
Produced in São Paulo, Brazil. This contemporary sculpture in cast brass was meticulously handmade by master artisans one piece at a time. It is therefore quite difficult, if not impossible to make identical items. The brass casting is produced by formation of a mold from a mixture of sand and the liquid alloy of copper and zinc. The projects are based on a contemporary appropriation of traditional methods from Brazilian artisans and reinterpreted through the integration of new forms and noble materials. An aesthetic infused with “beauty of imperfection" is obtained by the expressive potential of each material, generating works that recall nature and rationality. Estúdio Orth...
Brass
French Vintage Massive Plaster Bust of a Woman
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A monumental French vintage bust of an anonymous young woman in larger-than-life scale, her unforgettable likeness rendered in plaster that has been pigmented and faux-finished to ap...
Plaster
Margaret Lovell ''DIAMOND RELIEF'' BRUTALIST SCULPTURE C.1968
Located in Stourbridge, West Midlands
Margaret Lovell DIPFA(Lond), FRBS, RWA ''Diamond Relief'' C.1968. Bronze mounted to a wooden base. This is a limited edition sculpture and number 3 of 4 and a unique version. Please ...
Bronze
DO12 Perforated Clock, Gold coloured, Solid cast Brass Handmade
Located in Benahavis, AN
The decorative Clock was created by David Marshall, it is made of sand cast brass. Handmade, mounted and finished in our foundry and workshop in Spain from recycled materials. Cert...
Brass
Vintage Original Studio Pottery Match Strike Set
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This exquisite two-piece studio pottery set perfectly captures the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic of the 1970s, celebrating the raw beauty of hand-thrown functional art. Handcrafted with a clea...
Pottery
$760Sale Price|20% Off
Jack Brubaker Forged Bronze Sculpture or Candle Holder
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage serpentine forged bronze sculpture features petal shaped sconce compartment that allows it to be used as a candle holder, supported by freestyle shaped tendrils and stems. T...
Bronze
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
Mid-Century Brutalist Danish Studio Pottery Bowl Sculpture from Bjørn, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century Brutalist Danish Studio Pottery Bowl Sculpture from Bjørn, 1960s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional informati...
Ceramic
Scrap Metal Art of a Tank c1970
Located in Paddock Wood Tonbridge, GB
Metal Art of a Tank c1970 Introducing a stunning piece of artisan craftsmanship that transcends mere decoration: a handmade scrap metal tank from the 1970s, skill-fully assembled fro...
Steel
Mid-Century German Space Age Bubble Glass Vase by from Gral, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century German Space Age Bubble Glass Vase by from Gral, 1960s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969 official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs, designer r...
Glass
$14,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Carved Modern Totem in Dark Black Solid Wood Elegance, Still Stand No95
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carved Modern Totem in Dark Black Solid Wood Elegance, Still Stand No95 —— Joel Escalona's wooden standing sculptures are objects of raw beauty and serene grace. Each one is a tes...
Hardwood
Decorative box by Arnaldo Pomodoro for Edizioni Ars D, Milan 1980
Located in Conversano, IT
Stunning box designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro for Edizioni Ars D, Milan, commissioned by Ciga Hotels in the early 1980s. This highly limited edition consists of only 520 pieces, each cra...
Bronze
Square Brutalist Stoneware Trinket by Sejer Keramik, Denmark, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Raw looking yet delicately glazed quardratic trinket/box in glazed stoneware. Abstract circular lid motif in earthy/dusty glazes. Brilliant decorative piece for personal smalls, jewe...
Stoneware
Mid-Century Brutalist Fat Lava Ceramic Bowl, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century Brutalist Fat Lava Ceramic Bowl, 1960s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969. Additional information: Materials: Ceramic Color: Black Styles: Brutalist, Mid-Ce...
Ceramic