Eero Saarinen, Tulip Chairs for Knoll

EERO SAARINEN (Finland, 1910 – United States, 1961) for KNOLL.
Set of 4 Tulip chairs.
Shells of white glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, seat cushions upholstered in red Hallingdal wool.
Chairs with signs of wear and patina.
Produced by Knoll International, with a sticker from there.
Measurements: 82 x 50 x 55 cm. 46 cm. (seat height).

Set of four “Tulip” chairs, an iconic design created by Saarinen between 1955 and 1956 for the New York-based firm Knoll. This piece is characterized by the soft lines of the Modern Movement and its innovative use of materials. It is currently considered a classic of industrial design and earned its creator the MoMA Award (1969), the Federal Award for Industrial Design (1969), and the Stuttgart Design Center Award (1962).

Saarinen initially studied sculpture at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière in Paris and later architecture at Yale University. He then continued his studies in Europe on a scholarship, and upon his return, he took a professorship at Cranbrook Academy, one of the most important institutions for architecture and industrial design in the United States. In 1937, he began designing furniture in collaboration with Charles Eames, winning the 1940 prize in the “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” competition organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Later, working independently, Saarinen created furniture designs for Knoll International. Today, his creations are featured in major collections around the world, including that of MoMA in New York.