Red and Blue Chair attributed to Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Gerard VS Groenekan 1975

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This is for one of the most iconic modern design chairs ever made, the famous Red and Blue Chair designed … Read more This is for one of the most iconic modern design chairs ever made, the famous Red and Blue Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1918 and manufactured by Gerard van de Groenekan in the Netherlands, 1975.

Only a small number of such examples exist, making this chair a rare and precisely datable piece from that significant moment in Rietveld’s production history. In fully original condition, with a gentle and even patina to its painted surfaces, this chair exemplifies the integrity of van de Groenekan’s craftsmanship.

Designed as early as 1918, the Red and Blue Chair was initially conceived in natural wood. It was only in the early 1920s, after Rietveld joined De Stijl, that the vivid color scheme was introduced. Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondriaan persuaded Rietveld to adopt their chromatic principles, integrating color as a constructive element rather than decoration.

Although Rietveld regarded furniture as practical, utilitarian objects, he ultimately embraced the De Stijl palette, merging function with abstraction in a way that redefined modern furniture design. The Red and Blue Chair remains one of the most iconic works of the twentieth century, continuously influencing generations of designers and architects that followed. Its radical reduction to planes and lines, combined with pure color, anticipates the principles of modernism that shaped the course of design throughout the century. Held in every major design museum, this example, bearing both the van de Groenekan and Cassina stamps, represents not only a masterwork of modern furniture but also a rare and historically significant piece of design heritage.

Literature; Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, complete works This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



issues arising from misattribution See less