Mies Van Der Rohe

LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE (Germany, 1886 - USA, 1969).
Pair of armchairs "Barcelona", design 1929. Model from the 60's - 70's.
Chromed steel frame, loose comfort cushions upholstered in black leather sewn with buttons. Lower upholstery with black leather straps.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 80 x 78 x 80 cm.

The Barcelona chair (model MR90) is a classic work of 20th century industrial design. Mies van der Rohe created it, together with the ottoman and the matching side table, for the German pavilion at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, a building that was also a milestone in the architecture of the last century. The chairs were so admired that they were used as thrones for the kings of Spain when they visited the Barcelona pavilion. They were seats with a structure made entirely of polished stainless steel, with the seat and backrest completely covered with pigskin upholstery. Later, in 1950, some adjustments would be made to the design for mass production. Van der Rohe based his creation, in his personal line of modern classicism, on the "sella curulis", a type of seat used by Roman magistrates in antiquity. On the other hand, the visible joining of the stretcher frame and seat cushions as separate components, and the combined use of traditional and modern materials, appropriately adjusted to their function, eloquently reveal Mies' personal vision of international style. Today both the Barcelona chair and the matching ottoman and side table are still in production by Knoll, the firm that purchased the license from the architect in 1953. Modern models are produced in two different steel configurations, and in various types of leather in different colors. Examples of the Barcelona chair are still preserved in important collections around the world, such as the MoMA in New York.