RATIONAL SCULPTURE
The red and blue chair by Gerrit Rietveld is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in De Stijl design and a symbol of the modern design movement.
It was designed by Rietveld in 1918 and later in the 1920s was given the characteristic colors red, blue, yellow and black, inspired by the color theory of Piet Mondrian.
The chair consists of simple geometric shapes - straight lines and right angles dominate the design.
It is made of wood and consists of thin slats for the frame and rectangular panels for the seat and backrest.
The backrest is painted a vibrant blue, the seat is red. The supporting wooden elements (the slats) are black, while the connecting pieces at the ends are highlighted in yellow.
The chair appears deliberately minimalist and reduced to its basic elements.
The slats and panels seem to almost float together, as screws and other connecting elements are discreetly concealed. Itis not so much designed for comfort as it is an experimental exploration of space, line and color.
It stands for the idea of merging art, architecture and design, which was a central idea of the De Stijl movement.
The red and blue chair was not only designed as a piece of furniture, but as a kind of sculptural object that demonstrates the principles of neoplasticism in practice. Today, it is one of the best-known design classics of the 20th century and can be found in many museums of modern design.
The chair shown here is an early production by Cassina with the number 231 and has a wonderful patina of use that you will not find on any other Red + Blue Chair - a great piece of contemporary history.
