RETRO FILES / ICON CHAIRS OF THE MODERNIST MOVEMENT

CHAIRMEN OF THE CHAIRS: (Left to Right):
George Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames, Jens Riden
Image from July, 1961 issue of Playboy Magazine via Design Within Reach website.

SITTING PRETTY—Most of my career as a design writer I’ve memorized all the giants of the Arts & Crafts movement, but only until lately have I appreciated the architects and furnishing designers of my youth.   For example, I’ve admired Eero Saarinen for his design work (St. Louis Gateway Arch, Dulles International terminal), but I didn’t realize he also created the world famous Tulip chair.

            So finding a great photo from the July 1961 issue of Playboy Magazine, I was finally able to visually put the designer with the icon chair he created.

            Like I said I’m a late arrival to modernism and I hope many of you enjoy this journey of discovery.  It’s never too late to discover art.

The Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen via
Norman Rockwell, 1959

Eero Saarinen.  The Tulip chair.  1956.  The Womb Chair and Ottoman. 1946.

Arne Jacobsen.  The Egg Chair. 1958.  Designed for the Royal Hotel in Berlin.

Charles Eames.  The Plywood Chair, 1953.

Harry Bertoia.    The Diamond Chair.  1950s.

George Nelson.  The Coconut Lounge Chair.  1955.

Edward Wormley. Cane Back Lounge Chair.

Jens Riden.          The Risom Lounge Chair. 1941

Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. M.R. Chaise Lounge. 1927.  Designed for the Weissenhof Exhibit in Stuttgart, Germany

Additional research:  http://www.home-designing.com/2010/10/mid-century-modern-classic-chairs

Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell, May 16, 1959

Tulip, Eero Saarinen

Diamond, Harry Bertoia

Coconut, George Nelson 

Plywood, Charles Eames

Egg,  Arne Jacobsen

Arne Jacobsen

M.R. Chaise, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe

Risom Lounge and Ottoman, Jens Risom