Gerrit Rietveld Unesco Chair
View Similar Items
Gerrit Rietveld Unesco Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Artifort (Manufacturer),Gerrit Rietveld (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 27.56 in (70 cm)Depth: 31.5 in (80 cm)Seat Height: 14.97 in (38 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1957
- Condition:Excellent vintage condition. In general we would like to point out that all vintage items on 1stdibs have minor imperfections such as little scratches. Mayor imperfections are always shown on pictures or mentioned.
- Seller Location:Dronten, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU931413232831
Gerrit Rietveld
Best known for his Red and Blue chair, a modernist icon created using only two plywood plates and 15 connecting bars, Dutch designer Gerrit Thomas Rietveld trained as a cabinetmaker, and his bold vision for furniture was supported by his expertise in construction and craftsmanship.
Born in Utrecht, Rietveld learned goldsmithing in addition to the cabinetry apprenticeship he had in his carpenter father’s workshop. He studied draftsmanship with architect Piet Klaarhamer at the Utrecht Museum of Applied Arts and opened his own furniture workshop in 1917. In the 1930s, Rietveld began to experiment with then-unusual materials like plywood and aluminum, and he pursued intellectual concepts through his design, even considering a seat as a resting place for the body and the soul.
Designed in 1918, the minimalist Red and Blue chair is widely coveted by collectors and gained admirers in the likes of legendary American sculptor and designer Donald Judd over the years. (Examples of Rietveld’s designs can be found in Judd’s restored home-museum in New York City.) The Red and Blue chair is so stunning in its geometric simplicity that it is one of the most important symbols of the Dutch art and design movement of the early 20th century called De Stijl, of which Rietveld was an important part. De Stijl means “the Style” and was an effort to express utopian values through pure abstraction in design and the use of primary colors.
Another example of Rietveld’s celebrated seating furniture is the Zig-Zag chair, which was commissioned by the Dutch department store Metz & Co. and intended to be mass-produced. The resulting design — to which the rights to manufacture were bought by Cassina in 1971 — is the essence of the De Stijl movement and an example of Rietveld’s experiments with jointless chairs made from a single material, wood. The Zig-Zag chair’s armless, legless, elegant form is pure abstraction, yet it is also sturdy and comfortable.
Later in his career, Rietveld worked more often as an architect, designing buildings in prestigious settings like the Venice Biennale. He was a pioneer in more ways than one: The first building he designed, Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht in 1924, is a radically modern space and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
Find vintage Gerrit Rietveld furniture on 1stDibs.
Artifort
The sterling reputation that Artifort enjoys isn’t limited to the innovative upholstery and fluid, organic shapes for which its products are widely known — the legendary Dutch brand’s vintage seating and other furniture is also celebrated for its embodiment of functionality, comfort and quality. These are among the principles that underpin the philosophy toward modern furniture design at Artifort, which has been at the crossroads of furniture and art for over 125 years.
Prior to 1928, the year Artifort officially became a brand, Jules Wagemans had a small upholstery business in Maastricht, the Netherlands. After setting up in 1890, his son, Henricus Wagemans, broadened the scope of the company to include furniture production. By the end of the 1920s, their showroom in Amsterdam had made them a recognizable brand across the Netherlands.
Then named H. Wagemans & Van Tuien, the company changed its name to Artifort after the economic recession. Artifort came from two Latin words meaning “art” and “strong” — a perfect description for the style of each design and the manufacturer’s intention to create sturdy furnishings. Artifort’s reputation for durable armchairs and sofas endures, and vintage editions of this seating are now family heirlooms in many homes.
Artifort became a magnet for high-profile and up-and-coming designers alike. Many furniture designers’ careers began thanks to collaborations with Artifort, such as Dutch industrial and jewelry designer Gijs Bakker and Indonesian-born designer Kho Liang Ie. Also known for designing the interiors at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, Kho Liang Ie was an aesthetic consultant at Artifort and used his expertise to turn the company into a world-class brand. Perhaps his largest contribution, however, was attracting the talents of French furniture and interior designer Pierre Paulin and English furniture designer Geoffrey D. Harcourt.
Paulin’s bright and colorful lounge chairs, such as his Orange Slice chair and Mushroom chair, are still central to the Artifort identity. The revered designer not only introduced new construction techniques to Artifort furniture, but contributed fresh materials, Pop art colors and dazzling shapes to the mid-century modern era as a whole, while Harcourt deserves credit for popularizing Artifort internationally and extending their reach into foreign markets.
Another talent boom in the 1990s at Artifort yielded collaborations with Jasper Morrison, Wolfgang Mezger and René Holten. Iranian designer Khodi Feiz was named art director in 2014 and has continued the tradition of recruiting top designers such as Claesson Koivisto Rune, Ilse Crawford and Luca Nichetto.
Find a collection of vintage Artifort lounge chairs, tables and more on 1stDibs.
- Gerrit Rietveld Mondial ChairBy Gerrit RietveldLocated in Dronten, NL‘Mondial’ chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld for the 1958 World Exhibition in Brussels. This chair is a later reissue by ‘Rietveld Originals’ and manufactured by Gispen. The Mondial...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsAluminum, Steel
$750 / item - Lotus Adjustable Lounge Chair by Rob ParryBy Gerrit Rietveld, Rob ParryLocated in Dronten, NLReclinable Lotus lounge chair designed by Rob Parry for Gelderland. Rob Parry (The Hague, 1925-2023) was educated at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. His most important teacher...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Gerrit Thomas Rietveld "Aluminum Stoel" ModelBy Gerrit RietveldLocated in Dronten, NLExceptionally well executed handmade scale model of this very rare chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld. Unmarked. If you are desperately looking for the perfect gift for an architect, look no further! Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964), a Dutch architect and designer, was a pivotal figure in the De Stijl movement, renowned for his avant-garde contributions to modern art and design. Best known for the iconic Red and Blue Chair, Rietveld's work epitomizes the movement's principles, emphasizing geometric abstraction, primary colors, and asymmetry. His architectural masterpiece, the Rietveld Schröder...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch De Stijl Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- Gerrit Rietveld R25 Sleeping Sofa, 1950By Metz & Co., Gerrit RietveldLocated in Dronten, NLExceptionally rare Gerrit Rietveld original R25 sleeping sofa made in spruce wood, designed in 1936 for Metz & Co. The back folds down to a b...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsSpruce
- Artifort 905 ArmchairBy ArtifortLocated in Dronten, NLArtifort 905 lounge chair by the Artifort design team lead by Kho Lian Ie, 1964. Upholstered in a two-tone, dark grey/black, woolen fabric De Ploeg. This chair was used in a boardroo...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$1,850 - Ligne Roset "Croissant" ChairBy Ligne RosetLocated in Dronten, NLVery elegant sweeping lounge chair by Ligne Roset with cast bronze legs in yellow Alcantara. Some wear to the Alcantara but very well maintained and free of stains. Very rare piece, ...Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBronze
- Gerrit Rietveld 1958 Unesco Press Room Chair for Spectrum, 'Colourful Vintage'By 't Spectrum, Gerrit RietveldLocated in Tilburg, NLGerrit Rietveld 1958 Unesco press room chair for Spectrum - 'Colourful Vintage' Edition 'Colourful Vintage', which means: fabric: Sprinkles 0784 (F...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht Chairs, Cassina, Newly Upholstered in Pure AlpacaBy Gerrit Rietveld, CassinaLocated in London, GBA pair of Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht armchairs, produced by Cassina, and newly upholstered in a soft, brown/grey premium 100% alpaca wool fabric. Cassina labels to the underneath. Price...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsAlpaca
On Hold$16,315 / set - Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht Chairs, Cassina, Newly Upholstered in Pure AlpacaBy Gerrit Rietveld, CassinaLocated in London, GBA pair of Gerrit Rietveld Utrecht armchairs, produced by Cassina, and newly upholstered in a white (with a hint of cream) very soft, premium 100% alpaca wool fabric. Cassina labels t...Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsAlpaca
- Gerrit Thomas Rietveld "Utrecht" Armchair for Cassina, 1935By Gerrit Rietveld, CassinaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoGerrit Thomas Rietveld "Utrecht" armchairs for Cassina, wool and steel, Netherlands, 1935. The designer came up with the idea of the “Utrecht” armchair in 1935 while working for t...Category
Vintage 1980s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Gerrit Thomas Rietveld "Utrecht" Armchairs for Cassina, 1935, Set of 2By Gerrit Rietveld, CassinaLocated in Lonigo, VenetoGerrit Thomas Rietveld "Utrecht" armchairs for Cassina, wool and steel, Netherlands, 1935, set of two. The designer came up with the idea of the “Utrecht” armchair in 1935 while w...Category
Vintage 1980s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Red Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina, Italy, De Stijl Modern, 1918By Gerrit Rietveld, CassinaLocated in Brooklyn, NYGerrit rietveld Bauhaus red blue chair by Cassina. Early production. Authorized by Rietveld estate. Made in Italy. Labelled and numbered 556. In the red blue chair, Rietveld manipula...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Bauhaus Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWood
$3,740 Sale Price44% Off