Gerrit Thomas Rietveld - Design New York Wednesday, June 6, 2018 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Wright, Chicago, "Important 20th Century Design," May 21, 2006, lot 212
    Private collection
    Phillips, London, "The Architect," April 29, 2014, lot 325
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Literature

    Peter Vöge, The Complete Rietveld Furniture, Rotterdam, 1993, p. 61
    Ida van Zijl, Gerrit Rietveld, London, 2010, pp. 36, 51, 64, 162

  • Artist Biography

    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.

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115

"Berlin" chair

designed 1923, executed circa 1957
Painted beech.
42 x 28 3/4 x 20 1/2 in. (106.7 x 73 x 52.1 cm)
Executed by Gerard van de Groenekan, De Bilt, the Netherlands. Underside with paper label printed G. A. v. d. GROENEKAN/Utrechtseweg 315 DE BILT and inscribed NEDERLAND.

Estimate
$12,000 - 18,000 

Sold for $30,000

Contact Specialist
Cordelia Lembo
Head of Department
+1 212 940 1265

Design

New York Auction 6 June 2018