Gustav Siegel

GUSTAVE SIEGEL (Austria, 1880-1970) for Jacob & Josef Kohn.
Rocking chair "Model 834". Jugendstil, Viennese Secession, ca. 1910.
Beech wood, steam bent.
It shows old xylophagous marks (not active) and patina according to its age.
Measurements: 112 x 53 x 93 cm.

Emblematic rocking chair of Jugendstil design, work of Gustav Siegel, main disciple of Josef Hoffmann. This piece is a display of the steam bent wood technique, where the structure is resolved by means of bold circular lines that flow from the armrests to the glides in a single continuous and enveloping movement.

The backrest features an openwork panel with a radial geometric motif, typical of the Vienna Secession, which balances the exuberance of the lateral curves with Austrian formal rigor. The combination of the warmth of the finish with the visual lightness of its sinuous forms makes it a sculptural piece, representative of the European avant-garde of the early 20th century.

A fundamental designer of Austrian modernity, Gustav Siegel was the first important external collaborator for the firm Jacob & Josef Kohn. Under the influence of the Wiener Werkstätte, Siegel introduced an aesthetic where geometry and curve were not ornaments, but the structural basis of furniture, laying the foundations of international modern design.

He is represented in the MAK (Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna) and the Art Institute of Chicago, among others.