Beschreibung:

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld 'Red-blue' armchair designed 1919, executed circa 1956 Painted beech, painted beech-veneered plywood. 58.3 x 66 x 84.2 cm (22 7/8 x 25 7/8 x 33 1/8 in.) Produced by Gerard van de Groenekan De Bilt, the Netherlands. Together with a certificate of authenticity signed by Gerard van de Groenekan
Provenance S.M. Holleman Thence by descent Christie's, Amsterdam, '20th Century Decorative Arts', 17 May, 2006, lot 735 Galerie Dewindt, Brussels Literature Carsten-Peter Warncke, De Stijl 1917-1931, Cologne, 1990, pp. 88, 121 Peter Vöge, The Complete Rietveld Furniture, Rotterdam, 1993, p. 11, p. 35, fig. 44, p. 59, fig. 46 Artist Bio Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Dutch • 1888 - 1964 Gerrit Thomas Rietveld began as an apprentice in his father's cabinetmaking workshop, going on to train and work as a draftsman. In 1917 he started his own furniture-making workshop in Utrecht. Positive critical review by Theo van Doesburg in his journal De Stijl resulted in near-instantaneous influence on broader developments in European modernism. This connection to the De Stijl movement also inspired him to introduce color to the posts, rails and terminals of his furniture. His resulting "Red-blue" armchair is among the most iconic chair designs of the twentieth century. From the beginning, Rietveld embraced modernist principles of functionalism, simplicity of form and mass-production, and eventually moved away from De Stijl to become a member of the Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM). Rietveld worked through the post-war years, completing a number of private residences, housing developments and institutions. He continued to design furniture for these commissions as well as for retailers like Metz & Co. View More Works