Thonet-style rocking chair, early 20th century

Thonet-style rocking chair, early 20th century.
Curved beech wood and cane seat.
In good overall condition, with signs of wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: 96 × 104 × 55 cm.

The continuity of the curved forms and the lightness of the structure link this rocking chair to the Viennese tradition of bentwood furniture developed during the second half of the 19th century. The design integrates the armrests, glides, and supports using long pieces of bent beech wood, embellished with broad volutes, while the seat and the high wicker backrest lend the piece a sense of transparency and visual lightness.

The piece follows the technical principles popularized by Michael Thonet, who perfected the steam-bending of solid beech wood and turned this process into one of the great advances in 19th-century mass-produced furniture. Rocking chairs constituted a prominent part of the repertoire developed using this technique.