Tag: cubist

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Heinz Witthoeft (Germany 1935-2021)

Pair of ‘Tail 4’ lounge chairs. 1959. Witthoeft Stuttgart 1960s.

Pine frames with slung leather/hide. 64.5 x 64.5 x 54cm high.

Radical modernist lounge chairs that are almost never to be found as a pair – the ‘Tail 4’ design has an architectural cube frame that each houses a low slung thick leather seat. The combination of a rigid external frame and flexible seat define and enhance the seating experience. (These chairs almost cross over into the realm of sculpture – and as sculptures they pre-date and anticipate some of the later minimalist art of Sol le Wit, Donald Judd or other minimalist artists of the 60s-70s).

Trained at the prestigious Ulm School of Design, Witthoeft embodies the functionalist and minimalist spirit characteristic of German modernism from that era. His varied output as a designer included furniture systems, drawings, photographs, and graphic designs all contributed to his utopian urban vision in Post-war Germany and are embodied in the design of these chairs.

Completely original condition with a distinctive warm patina commensurate with their age.

Price: 9.500 euro (pair)

http://www.merzbaufurniture.com

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Hendrik (Henk) Wouda (Nl 1885-1946)

Pair of bedside cupboards / pot cupboards.

Oak wood with dark coromandel handles, ceramic interiors and slate tops.

Pander & Zn., 1920s (company labels inside doors). 45 x 32 x 55cm high.

A rare pair of bedside cabinets (or nightstands) by the Dutch architect and furniture designer Henk Wouda (1885-1946).
The cabinets are designed in typical Haagse School style; a fine balance of applied form and weight – In this the Dutch designers were especially influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.

The cabinets currently contain their original period fittings, namely ceramic pot holders. However, should the buyer wish it would be easy for us to have them removed prior to sending in order to make them suitable for more contemporary storage purposes.

Price: 2,350 euro

http://www.merzbaufurniture.com

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(Attrib.) Cor Alons (Nl 1892-1967) or Jan Le Cointre.

Oak wood. Restored/ with later upholstered drop in seats. Circa 1920s. No makers markings.


A pair of high quality Dutch Art Deco, Haagse School /stijl armchairs. These chairs could work well as two side chairs but would work equally well as desk chairs.

The design is attributed to the Dutch interior architect and designer Cor Alons. Alons was one of the architects of the Dutch Art Deco movement we now refer to as the ‘Haagse School, or style’. These designers were distinguished from other country’s styles by the application of a sober and cubist language with the intention of achieving a fine balance of form and weight; In this they were especially influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
These striking chairs are constructed from solid oak and with the typical straight high back coloured in a contrasting black.

Price: 3.750 euro (x2) or 1.900 (per piece)

http://www.merzbaufurniture.com

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Jan Slothouber & William Graatsma (NL. Mid-c20th)
Five original modular cubes from the 1970s. Laminated plywood.
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The Dutch duo Slothouber & Graatsma established themselves from the 1950s as artist/designers with the cube form as their key motif around which they developed various principles of cubic construction alongside multiples and variations thereof. Despite its restrictions they admired the cube for its clarity of form. They applied their thinking around it to a variety of objects, and artworks from small jewellery-scale 3d models and games to larger installation works.
Highly driven personalities, they considered themselves as discoverers of ‘the many applications of the democratic system of cubics’; a system that would ostensively act to counter the rise of the expressive individualism in post-WWII culture. (They later established the CCC_the Center for Cubic Constructions as a forum for promoting their ideas).
Due to their diverse and multidisciplinary output they were never to become global names – But they were a highly respected creative team (representing The Netherlands at the Venice Biennale in 1970) and in 1965 the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam honoured them with the exhibition ‘Vier kanten: maat, vorm, kleur, letter’ (Four sides: size, form, colour, letter). Donald Judd for one was a great admirer of their work.

Price: 3,900 euro

http://www.merzbaufurniture.com