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.
H 35 in W 24 in D 30 in
Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld
By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina
Located in Toronto, CA
Designed in 1918 by Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld, the "Red and Blue Chair" is part of the Dutch De Stijl movement, a rigorous abstraction of lines and colours. An outlook shared by...
Wood
H 34.65 in W 32.68 in D 25.79 in
Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld, for Cassina, De Stijl, Netherlands
By Gerrit Rietveld
Located in LYON, FR
Red and blue chair Gerrit Rietveld Cassina edition Vintage Red and blue chair by Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld. Produced since 1973 by Italian manufacturer Cassina. Stamped on the...
Beech, Birch
H 34.65 in W 25.6 in D 32.68 in
Modernist Design Rietveld Red & Blue Chair by Cassina, 1970s
By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina
Located in Renens, CH
The Red & Blue Chair is also known as the “Rietveld Chair” after its designer Gerrit Rietveld, counts as one of the most recognizable pieces designed by De Stijl movement in the 1920...
Beech
H 34.65 in W 25.79 in D 32.68 in
Gerrit Rietveld Red and Blue Chair by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern
By Cassina, Gerrit Rietveld
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1918. Relaunched in 1973. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A sculptural seat with a pure and rationalist form, this chair became an authenti...
Wood
H 34.75 in W 25.75 in D 32.75 in
Red And Blue Chair By Gerrit Rietveld For Cassina
By Cassina
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
The Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld for Cassina is one of the most iconic expressions of early modern design. Originally conceived in 1918 and later refined with its now signat...
Beech
H 32.29 in W 26.78 in D 41.34 in
Red Blue Chair – After Gerrit Rietveld’s Design, circa 1970
By Gerrit Rietveld
Located in Barcelona, ES
This striking Red Blue Chair, inspired by the renowned design of Gerrit Rietveld, is a stunning example of mid-century modern furniture that perfectly embodies the principles of the ...
Wood
H 33.86 in W 25.99 in D 31.11 in
Gerrit Rietveld, Red and Blue Chair / Authentic Chair
By Gerrit Rietveld Jr.
Located in Zürich, CH
Here we see a playful kind of experimentation, different from the average modern design, which is more well-behaved and dogmatic. It’s radical, it’s curious, it pushes boundaries. That is a one-of-a-kind piece – unique and outstanding, it holds a museum exhibit quality. An artefact for collectors and connoisseurs. A piece without any compromises. Highly valuable, rarely even offered by auction houses. However, it comes with a price. Originally designed in 1917, this chair is a true representation and one of the first pieces of De Stijl movement. Founded in the Netherlands as a reaction against the horrors of WWI, its visual language consisted of pure, geometrical forms and primary colours. As forms and shapes tended to establish balance and harmony in a world of chaos, this piece is a manifestation of the idea. Some of the first chairs were made for the "Rietveld Schröder House...
Aluminum
H 34.65 in W 32.68 in D 25.6 in
Replica of "Red and Blue" Chair by G.T. Rietveld, 1990s
By Gerrit Rietveld
Located in Roma, IT
A nice replica of the iconic chair realized by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld. Lacquered wood. Some minor defects, otherwise very good condition.
Wood
H 34.45 in W 25.99 in D 35.44 in
Italian Bauhaus Armchair Red and Blue by Rietveld 1st production Cassina 1971
By Cassina, Gerrit Rietveld
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Bauhaus Armchair Red and Blue by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina 1971 Armchair mod. Red and Blue entirely in wood painted in yellow, red, blue and black. The chair has an ...
Wood
H 34.65 in W 25.79 in D 32.68 in
Gerrit Rietveld Red and Blue Chair for Cassina, Italy, new
By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the chosen material/color. Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1918. Relaunched in 1973. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy.
Wood
Red Radar Chair attributed to Willy Van Der Meeren
By Willy Van Der Meeren
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
The Radar chair is often attributed to the Belgian designer Willy Van Der Meeren and dates from the 1950s. This mid-century modern chair is made of black painted metal and red painte...
Metal
Prototype - Red Scandy Lounge Chair by Fabiaan Van Severen for Indera
By Fabiaan Van Severen
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
This red Lounge Chair is designed by Fabiaan Van Severen for Indera in Belgium. This Scandy lounge chair is a prototype and comes from the interior of Fabiaan Van Severen himself. Th...
Upholstery
Result Chair by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld for Ahrend de Cirkel, 1958
By Friso Kramer, Wim Rietveld, Ahrend de Cirkel
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
The industrial Result chair Result was designed by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld for Ahrend de Cirkel in 1958. This chair is from the first series. It has a grey sheet steel frame an...
Steel
Old Deckchair No. 404 by W.H. Gispen
By Willem H. Gispen
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
In 1936 W.H. designed this deckchair for the SS Nieuw Amsterdam, a luxury passenger boat. This one is produced between 1953 and 1966. It is made of c...
Crossed Legs Easy Chair by Fabiaan Van Severen
By Fabiaan Van Severen
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
The Crossed Legs easy chair was designed by the Belgian Designer Fabiaan Van Severen in 1998. These chairs were manufactured in the designer’s atelier. This edition with black lacque...
Metal
Cantilever Armchair 401 by Alvar Aalto for Artek
By Artek, Arne Jacobsen
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
The high-back cantilever Armchair 401, an Alvar Aalto design from 1933, offers maximum comfort. The frame contains a sprung seat, while the back is slightly tilted to provide support...
Birch
