Sold | A Pair of Steltman Chairs, Gerrit Rietveld, 1963

Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888–1964) was a visionary Dutch architect and furniture designer whose groundbreaking work became a cornerstone of the De Stijl movement.

Born in Utrecht, Rietveld’s early years were steeped in craftsmanship, apprenticing in his father’s carpentry workshop before moving on to design and drafting for a jeweller. It wasn’t until 1917 that he opened his own furniture studio, where his exploration of form and colour would redefine modern design.

Rietveld’s iconic Red and Blue Chair, created in 1917 and coloured in 1918, remains a defining symbol of the De Stijl aesthetic, embodying its principles of geometric abstraction and primary colours.

His architectural career flourished shortly after that, with his most famous project - the Rietveld Schröder House, completed in 1924 - becoming an architectural masterpiece of the era and later earning UNESCO World Heritage status. As his career evolved, Rietveld embraced the functionalist ideals of the New Objectivity movement, focusing on social housing and the innovative use of modern materials.

His later works, such as the Zig-Zag Chair (1934) and the Van Gogh Museum (completed posthumously), exemplify his continued experimentation with form and structure.

Today, Rietveld’s legacy lives on through the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and the enduring influence of his furniture and architectural designs. His contributions remain foundational to both modernist architecture and 20th-century design, celebrated for their harmonious balance of functionality and bold artistic vision.