Physical Qualities
Plywood, deal, steel, paint, 36 x 24 1/4 x 34 1/4 in. (91.4 x 61.6 x 87 cm.)
Credit Line
Purchase with exchange funds from Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stanford Z. Rothschild, Jr., Baltimore
Object Number
1988.1361
For this stoel (chair) with a beugel (brace), architect Gerrit Rietveld bent a
single tube of metal into one continuous support system for a seat made
of steamed plywood. The monochromatic color, transparent structure, and
simplified geometry of this form reflect modernist aesthetics. In 1930, Rietveld
partnered with the Amsterdam department store Metz & Co. to produce this
example with the hope of mass-market appeal. Despite the company only
making a small quantity, Rietveld’s vision was admired throughout Europe and
North America.
