Chair #203

STELTMAN CHAIR

—Designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld

This chair reminds me of a 3-D brain teaser puzzles I had as a kid.

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The asymmetrical Steltman chair (1963), designed for the Steltman jewelry house in The Hague, has the open composition of horizontals and verticals so characteristic of Rietveld. Each view is asymmetrical, yet the design itself is well-balanced. Material and space freely intermingle. I love that the Steltman chair is available both in a left-handed and a right-handed design. Although the original designs were upholstered in white leather, after Rietveld's death, examples were produced in pine and oak. The Steltman chair is a remarkable design. An able man at the age of 75, Rietveld reaffirmed his reputation as a totally free spirit when he created this chair from wood and leather that incorporated the same revolutionary qualities as designs he made as a member of the 'De Stijl' at the age of 30.