Gregorio Vicente Cortés, for H Muebles

GREGORIO VICENTE CORTÉS (Pamplona, 1918 – Madrid, 1990) for H Muebles.
Set of four armchairs, 1966.
Ukola wood with a dark finish and seats upholstered in green velvet.
In very good condition. Wood restored and seats reupholstered.
Measurements: 70 x 56 x 52 cm; seat height: 45 cm (each).

This set of chairs is an interesting example of the renewal of Spanish furniture during the 1960s, driven by firms such as H Muebles, which championed modern, functional, and high-quality design. Gregorio Vicente Cortés’s design stands out for its formal simplicity and the careful balance between structure and comfort.

The chairs feature curved backs that extend into integrated armrests, supported by wooden frames with straight lines. The rounded seats, upholstered in green velvet, provide a chromatic hallmark compared to the dark wood finish. Their composition combines the influence of European functionalism with a constructive sensibility characteristic of Spanish design of the era.

Gregorio Vicente Cortés was a leading figure in 20th-century Spanish furniture design. Associated since 1958 with H Muebles, a firm founded by the Huarte family, he played a fundamental role in the formal and technical renewal of its production. He participated in the “Evolución 66” exhibition alongside prominent Spanish architects and artists. His work is documented in the furniture catalog for the 1950s and 1960s published by the Official College of Architects of Madrid (COAM). Furthermore, works he created have been acquired by the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, a testament to the growing institutional recognition of his legacy.