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 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
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 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 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
$1,920
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
1958 Brussels World's Fair Original Vintage Poster
Located in Winchester, GB
The 1958 Brussels World's Fair or "Expo 58" was the first major World Expo held after World War II and hosted over 41 million visitors. The brilliant mid century style design by Ric...
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....
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
$4,600
H 39.8 in W 25.2 in D 0.1 in
FLY TWA SAN FRANCISCO Original Vintage Airline Travel Poster Constellation RARE
By David Klein
Located in Chicago, IL
FLY TWA - SAN FRANCISCO Authentic original vintage airline travel poster Condition: A- Dimensions: 25.2 x 39.8 in. / 64 x 101 cm. Circa: 1957 Linen Backed There are areas of restore...
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
$3,000
H 63.25 in W 46.8 in D 0.1 in
MAURIN QUINA Original Vintage French Advertising Poster Green Devil - Cappiello
By Leonetto Cappiello
Located in Chicago, IL
MAURIN QUINA - LE PUY FRANCE - "The Green Devil" Authentic original vintage French advertising stone litho poster Artist: Leonetto Cappiello Condition: B- Dimensions: 46.8 x 63.25 in...
Paper
$1,100
H 40 in W 24.8 in D 0.1 in
AIR FRANCE EUROPE Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism Midcentury MCM Poster
By Jacques Nathan-Garamond
Located in Chicago, IL
AIR FRANCE - EUROPE Authentic original vintage midcentury airline travel poster Artist: Jacques Nathan-Garamond Condition: B+ Dimensions: 24.8 x 40 in. / 63 x 99 cm. Circa: 1964 Line...
Paper
$1,200
H 62.75 in W 45.75 in D 0.1 in
ESCARGOTS Authentic Original Vintage Antique French Advertising Poster 1930s
Located in Chicago, IL
ESCARGOTS MENETREL Authentic antique original vintage French advertising poster Artist: Rudd Condition: A- Dimensions: 45.75 x 62.75 in. / 116.2 x 159.4 cm. Circa: 1930s Linen Backed...
Paper
$1,400
H 40.5 in W 30 in D 0.1 in
CHICAGO AMERICAN AIRLINES Original Vintage Airline Travel Tourism MCM Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
CHICAGO - AMERICAN AIRLINES Authentic original vintage airline travel poster Artist: Fred Conway Condition: A- Dimensions: 30 x 40.5 in. / 76.2 x 102.9 cm. Circa: 1960s Linen Backed ...
Paper
$1,250
H 23.8 in W 18.1 in D 0.1 in
AIR CATALINA - CATALINA'S EXPERIENCED AIRLINE Original Vintage Travel Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
AIR CATALINA - CATALINA'S EXPERIENCED AIRLINE Authentic original vintage airline travel and tourism poster Artist: Gary Miltmore Condition: A Dimensions: 18.1 x 23.8 in. / 46 x 60.5 ...
Paper
$1,100
H 24 in W 18.1 in D 0.1 in
SANTA FE RAILROAD SUPER CHIEF Original Vintage American Travel Tourism Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
SANTA FE RAILROAD - SUPER CHIEF Authentic original vintage railroad travel poster Artist: Victor Beals Condition: A- Dimensions: 24 x 18.1 in. / 61 x 46 cm. Circa: 1950 Linen Backed ...
Paper
Sold
H 27.96 in W 19.69 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage South America Travel Poster Carnival Rio Brazil Horse Tanaka
By Tanaka
Located in London, GB
Original vintage South America travel poster for the Carnaval no Rio Brasil / Carnival in Rio Brazil featuring artwork by Beatrice Tanaka (1932-2016) depicting a colourful image of a...
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
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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.