MR20 Armchair
Armchair
1927 (Designed), 1932-1940 (Manufactured)
1927 (Designed), 1932-1940 (Manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cantilevered tubular steel armchair, painted green, with a continuous caned seat and back and cane-wrapped arms.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | MR20 Armchair (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Tubular steel, caning |
| Brief description | German 1928 des. Mies van der Rohe |
| Physical description | Cantilevered tubular steel armchair, painted green, with a continuous caned seat and back and cane-wrapped arms. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | ARMCHAIR
Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (German, 1886-1969)
Probably manufactured by Thonet, Germany
Chromium-plated tubular steel, painted (later), with woven cane
1927
One of the most startling innovations in modern furniture - or so it seemed to contemporaries - was the development of the modern cantilever chair. Because the seat floated in mid-air without any visible means of support it signalled to many the triumph of the designer over the laws of nature. It is said that people were afraid to sit on this chair when it was first introduced because they feared it would collapse.
Given by Mrs F.W. Bradshaw
Circ.861-1968 |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs F.W. Bradshaw |
| Object history | The chair was said by the donor to have been salvaged from the St James's Theatre, King Street, St James's, London, which was demolished in 1957 despite a high level protest campaign. The last major refit of the theatre, which was built in 1835, was in 1900 and no record of modernist interiors is yet known. |
| Production | Thonet began production of this chair in November 1932 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.861-1968 |
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| Record created | November 17, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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