More often than not, vintage mid-century Brazilian furniture designs, with their gleaming wood, soft leathers and inviting shapes, share a sensuous, unique quality that distinguishes them from the more rectilinear output of American and Scandinavian makers of the same era.
Commencing in the 1940s and '50s, a group of architects and designers transformed the local cultural landscape in Brazil, merging the modernist vernacular popular in Europe and the United States with the South American country's traditional techniques and indigenous materials.
Key mid-century influencers on Brazilian furniture design include natives Oscar Niemeyer, Sergio Rodrigues and José Zanine Caldas as well as such European immigrants as Joaquim Tenreiro, Jean Gillon and Jorge Zalszupin. These creators frequently collaborated; for instance, Niemeyer, an internationally acclaimed architect, commissioned many of them to furnish his residential and institutional buildings.
The popularity of Brazilian modern furniture has made household names of these designers and other greats. Their particular brand of modernism is characterized by an émigré point of view (some were Lithuanian, German, Polish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Italian), a preference for highly figured indigenous Brazilian woods, a reverence for nature as an inspiration and an atelier or small-production mentality.
Hallmarks of Brazilian mid-century design include smooth, sculptural forms and the use of native woods like rosewood, jacaranda and pequi. The work of designers today exhibits many of the same qualities, though with a marked interest in exploring new materials (witness the Campana Brothers' stuffed-animal chairs) and an emphasis on looking inward rather than to other countries for inspiration.
Find a collection of vintage Brazilian furniture on 1stDibs that includes chairs, sofas, tables and more.
Original Vintage Travel Poster Brazil Rio Guanabara Bay Sugarloaf Mountain Art
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster for Brazil in South America featuring a scenic view from the Christ the Redeemer statue on Mount Corcovado towards Sugarloaf Mountain in Guanabara Bay ...
Paper
Original Vintage Advertising Poster Rio De Janeiro International Sample Fair
Located in London, GB
Original vintage advertising poster for the Xa Feira Internacional de Amostras / 10th International Exhibition of Samples held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil from 12 October to 15 November...
Paper
Original Vintage South America Travel Poster Rio Brazil Pipe Sunglasses Fagundes
Located in London, GB
Original vintage South America travel poster for Rio Brasil / Brazil featuring a fun design depicting a smiling man smoking a pipe and wearing a brown and black checkered flat cap an...
Paper
Original Vintage Poster Brazil Rio Varig Super G Constellation Luxury Air Travel
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster advertising Brazil Overnight Flights to Rio in Super G Constellation Luxury by Varig Airlines featuring a fun design depicting a bird wearing a red and...
Paper
$1,982
H 40.16 in W 24.81 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Swiss Travel Poster, Interlaken, Mountains and Ski, 1950
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Original Vintage Poster-Suisse-Interlaken-Montagne-Ski, c.1950 Poster to promote tourism in the city of Interlaken during the summer period (April to October). Additional detai...
Paper
$1,400
H 39.8 in W 29.3 in D 0.1 in
AMERICAN AIRLINES - OVER THE WORLD Original Vintage Airline Travel Poster MCM
By Edward McKnight Kauffer
Located in Chicago, IL
AMERICAN AIRLINES - OVER THE WORLD Authentic original vintage midcentury modern airline travel and tourism graphic design poster Artist: E. McKnight Kauffer Condition: B+ Dimensions:...
Paper
LEVI'S Original Vintage Advertising Poster 1971
Located in Chicago, IL
LEVI'S Authentic original vintage advertising poster Artist: Ida Van Bladel Condition: A/A- * Dimensions: 22 x 32.9 in. / 55.9 x 83.5 cm. Circa: 1971 Linen Backed There are a few ti...
Paper
$3,300
H 39.8 in W 30.3 in D 0.1 in
AMERICAN AIRLINES TO NEW YORK Original Vintage Airline Travel Poster
By Weimer Pursell
Located in Chicago, IL
AMERICAN AIRLINES TO NEW YORK Rare authentic original vintage airline travel poster Artist: Weimer Pursell Condition: A- Dimensions: 30.3 x 39.8 in. / ...
Paper
$1,350
H 19.5 in W 14.6 in D 0.1 in
SOUTH AFRICA QANTAS Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism Poster MCM 15" x 20"
By Harry Rogers
Located in Chicago, IL
SOUTH AFRICA - QANTAS Authentic original vintage midcentury airline travel poster Artist: Harry Rogers Condition: A Dimensions: 14.6 x 19.6 in. / 37.2 x 49.7 cm. Circa: 1960s Linen B...
Paper
$900
H 34 in W 22.8 in D 0.1 in
HAWAII - HAWAIIAN AIR Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism Midcentury Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
FLY HAWAIIAN AIR Authentic original vintage airline travel and tourism poster Artist: Freya Tanz & Clarence Lee Condition: B Dimensions: 22.8 x 34 in. / 58 x 86.4 cm. Circa: 1970...
Paper
$550
H 39.8 in W 30 in D 0.1 in
AMERICAN AIRLINES - MEXICO Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism Poster MCM
Located in Chicago, IL
MEXICO - AMERICAN AIRLINES Authentic original vintage midcentury modern airline travel poster Artist: Loweree Condition: A/A- Dimensions: 30 x 39.8 in. / 77 x 101 cm. Circa: 1960s Li...
Paper
$1,700
H 40.2 in W 24.8 in D 0.1 in
UNITED AIR LINES - HAWAII Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism Poster MCM
By Stan Galli
Located in Chicago, IL
UNITED AIR LINES - HAWAII Authentic original vintage midcentury airline travel poster Artist: Stan Galli Condition: B+ Dimensions: 24.8 x 40.2 in. / 63 x 102.1 cm. Circa: 1960 Linen ...
Paper
Original Vintage Rum Rhumprat Old Jack Advertising Poster
Located in Barcelona, ES
"The Old Jack Old Rum Rhumprat estilo Jamaica", Bonaparte, Reclamos Vilaró, Barcelona Original Rum advertising poster, Spain, 1920s Rhumprat- The Old J...
Paper
$8,000
H 40.9 in W 31 in D 0.1 in
LA CHAINE DU MONT-BLANC - CHAMONIX Original Vintage Art Deco Travel Poster
By Roger Broders
Located in Chicago, IL
LA CHAINE DU MONT-BLANC - L'AGUILLE DU DRU - CHAMONIX - PLM Authentic and rare original vintage antique lithographic travel poster Artist: Roger Broders Condition: B+/B Dimensions: 3...
Paper
$1,700
H 40.7 in W 26.9 in D 0.1 in
QUANT QUITO VIA PAN AMERICAN Original Vintage Pan Am Airline Travel Poster
By Paul George Lawler
Located in Chicago, IL
PAN AM - QUAINT QUITO IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES VIA PAN AMERICAN Rare authentic original vintage airline travel poster Artist: Paul George Lawler Condition: B Dimensions: 26.9 x 40.7 i...
Paper
$1,200
H 39.8 in W 25.2 in D 0.1 in
SOUTH AFRICA - CALL OF THE WILD Giraffe Original Vintage Travel Tourism Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
CALL OF THE WILD - SOUTH AFRICA Giraffe Rare authentic original vintage midcentury modern travel and tourism poster Artist: Sargeant Condition: B+ Dimensions: 25.2 x 39.8 in. / 64 x 101 cm. Circa: 1950 Linen Backed There is minor edge and corner wear and some small tears; some foxing spots in the upper half of the poster; some paper yellowing/toning consistent with age; some light foxing spots; this wonderful South African travel poster...
Paper
Sold
H 20.87 in W 14.77 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage South America Travel Poster Carnival In Rio Brazil Mask
Located in London, GB
Original vintage South America travel poster for the Carnival in Rio Brazil February featuring a colourful design depicting a view through the eye holes of an orange carnival mask of...
Paper
Sold
H 25.99 in W 16.15 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Poster Brasil Varig Travel Culture Brazil Rio Gaucho Waterfall
Located in London, GB
Original vintage airline travel poster for Brasil Varig featuring a colorful design with images representing different places of interest and cultures in Brazil including a vaquero / Mexican cowboy...
Paper
Sold
H 39.77 in W 27.17 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Travel Advertising Poster For Rio De Janeiro By Varig Airlines
By Nelson Jungbluth
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster advertising Rio de Janeiro by Varig airlines. Colourful image on an orange background featuring the Christ the Redeemer statue in front of Sugarloaf Mo...
Paper
Sold
H 27.17 in D 21.66 in
Original vintage travel poster for Brazil, Rio de Janeiro - Christ the Redeemer
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster issued by the Brazilian Government Trade Bureau in New York. Great image of the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooki...
Lithograph, Paper
The streets of fin-de-siècle Paris were set aglow with colorful poster ads, thanks to the printing techniques invented by Jules Chéret. Now, the Milwaukee Art Museum is celebrating this undersung talent in America's first solo show dedicated his exuberant works.
A show at the Museum of Arts and Design explores how designers involved in the punk scene helped create a new visual language.