Mart Stam, the designer of this chair, was a famous Dutch architect and furniture designer. Born in 1899, he was designing legendary pieces by age 27. Perhaps his most famous design is the Mart Stam chair that was initially developed for Weissenhof Stellung. The Mart Stam chair design became extremely popular instantaneously and influenced new designs by Mies Van der Rohe, Eileen Gray, and Marcel Breuer. His work in the Bauhaus and on the Weissenhof Stellung made him a popular designer almost overnight. His other works include contributions to the famed May Brigade, a group of architects charged with designing Stalinist cities in the former Soviet Union. After World War II, Mart Stam became involved in a number of reconstruction projects in Germany. He advocated rebuilding with a modernist approach but was unsuccessful as German citizens preferred restoring their cities to their pre-war grandeur. Mart Stam died in Switzerland in 1986.
Mart Stam introduced the Cantilever Armchair in 1926, unaware that three years earlier a colleague who taught at the Cologne School of Art, Gerhard Stuttgen, had introduced a cold-drawn Mannesman tube that was eerily similar. Later Mies van der Rohe invited Mart Stam to the Stuttgart Weissenhof-Siedlung, where he presented his version of the cantilever armchair. It was there Mart Stam learned of the methods of production and tools that were being utilized by the Bauhaus laboratories. Though similar to his colleagues, Mart Stam was awarded the authorship of the cantilever chair design by the German court.
Made in Italy.
Dimensions: H 32 1/4" D 23 1/4" W 23 1/4"; SH 18 1/4" AH 25"
Material: Tubular chrome armchair with a black hide leather seat and back with padded arms. Fully assembled.
