De Stijl Armchairs
It has been more than 100 years since the founding of the Dutch art and design movement known as De Stijl.
It was in October of 1917 that artist, architect and critic Theo van Doesburg released the first issue of De Stijl magazine. A platform for artists, designers and architects to express their revolutionary new ideas, the journal was a launching point for what would become an international movement. Meaning “the Style,” De Stijl was an attempt at pure abstraction — one centered on the use of primary colors and perpendicular lines as a utopian expression of a harmonious world.
Along with van Doesburg, the group’s most integral members were Bart van der Leck, Gerrit Rietveld and Piet Mondrian, whose geometric red, yellow, blue and black “Composition” paintings remain the most recognizable work of the movement. Mondrian used the term “neoplasticism” to describe the abstract art that he and his friends produced.
Not just an art movement, however, De Stijl also had a profound impact on modern design and architecture. It would go on to influence Bauhaus and the International Style of architecture. Although it was disbanded in 1931, De Stijl continues to inspire the popular imagination today, and De Stijl creators and their ilk are responsible for timeless works (some of which can be found on 1stDibs).
Made from two plywood plates and 15 connecting bars, the Red and Blue chair is a calling card of the De Stijl movement. Designed by architect Gerrit Rietveld, the chair is most often referred to as the Rietveld chair, likely because it didn’t actually get its signature De Stijl colors until the early 1920s.
Also designed by Rietveld, this asymmetrical side table was constructed for his first residential commission, the Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht, which is now a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Mondrian is the De Stijl group’s most well-known member. His familiar black lines with red, yellow and blue blocks are still reproduced in artworks and products today.
Russian-American artist Ilya Bolotowsky was highly interested in the work of Piet Mondrian. A founding member of the New York–based American Abstract Artists — other founders included Ray Kaiser (later Eames) and Josef Albers — Bolotowsky was smitten with Mondrian’s pure geometric abstractions from the period when lived in New York. In this signed, untitled silkscreen print from around 1970, you can see Bolotowsky’s use of hard-edge vertical and horizontal lines, as well as primary colors, although he didn’t limit himself to this palette.
Mondrian is the De Stijl group’s most well-known member. His familiar black lines with red, yellow and blue blocks are still reproduced in artworks and products today. In the 1960s, Yves Saint Laurent designed the Mondrian Collection of cocktail dresses. This wall mirror by Italian manufacturer Rimadesio is among the many decor pieces created in the likeness of Mondrian.
On 1stDibs, find De Stijl lighting, De Stijl decorative objects and more.
Late 20th Century Dutch De Stijl Armchairs
Stainless Steel
1930s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Leather, Wood
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood
1960s French Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Oak
Early 20th Century Dutch De Stijl Armchairs
Aluminum
1910s Austrian Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Elm
Mid-20th Century German De Stijl Armchairs
Oak, Plywood
20th Century Austrian De Stijl Armchairs
Leather, Beech
20th Century De Stijl Armchairs
Wood, Paint
1990s Italian De Stijl Armchairs
Velvet
1980s Austrian Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Fabric, Beech, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century European De Stijl Armchairs
Bentwood
20th Century Austrian De Stijl Armchairs
Fabric, Velvet, Wood, Mahogany
1920s French Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Leather, Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Austrian De Stijl Armchairs
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Dutch De Stijl Armchairs
Alpaca
1980s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Steel
20th Century Northern Irish De Stijl Armchairs
Leather
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Elm
1960s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Canvas, Oak
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood, Lacquer
1910s Italian Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood
Late 20th Century De Stijl Armchairs
Textile, Wood
1960s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Beech
1980s Italian Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Textile, Wood
1930s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood
1920s Italian Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Plywood
1970s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Wood
1930s Dutch Vintage De Stijl Armchairs
Leather