Showrooms

Alvar Aalto Model 44 Lounge Chair

Creator: Alvar Aalto
Offered by: Hobbs Modern

Description
A stunning, rare and early example of an Alvar Aalto Model 44 Lounge Chair by Artek Finland, upholstered in green boucle (looped or curled in French),

Aalto developed a revolutionary technique for bending thick layers of birch laminate into indented closed loops, these pieces were used as elegantly curved frames for a number of ground breaking furniture products, including this Model 44 chair, a uniquely connected armrest and frame has become the signature feature of Aalto armchairs, the chair is offered in excellent condition and would grace any home, reserve now.

This is the perfect chair for any space. Whether you are looking to add a pop of color to a more neutral sitting room, or create a more moody atmosphere in your office, this classic Mid-Century Modern design is a true conversation starter.

Check out it's sister chair, the Alvar Aalto Model 400 "Tank Chair" to create a unique look in your space.

Dimensions: 26.5"H x 25.25"W x 21.25"D

Seat Height: 16"

About the Designer:

An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, tables and lighting to table- and glassware — Aalto’s sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design.

Relatively few Aalto buildings exist outside Finland. (Just four exist in the United States, and only one — the sinuous 1945 Baker House dormitory at M.I.T. — is easily visited.) International attention came to Aalto, whose surname translates to English as “wave,” primarily through his furnishings.

Instead of the tubular metal framing favored by the Bauhaus designers and Le Corbusier, Aalto insisted on wood. His aesthetic is best represented by the Paimio armchair, developed in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the chair’s frame is composed of two laminated birch loops; the seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and others who later came to the material.

Concerned with keeping up standards of quality in the production of his designs, Aalto formed the still-extant company Artek in 1935, along with his wife, Aino Aalto, whose glass designs were made by the firm. In the latter medium, in 1936 the Aaltos together created the iconic, undulating Savoy vase, so-called for the luxe Helsinki restaurant for which the piece was designed.

Artek also produced Aalto pendants and other lighting designs, many of which — such as the Angel’s Wing floor lamp and the Beehive pendant — incorporate a signature Aalto detail: shades made of concentric enameled-metal rings graduated down in diameter. The effect of the technique is essential Alvar Aalto: at once precise, simple, and somehow poetic.

More Information

Dimensions

Message from Seller:

FURNITURE SHOULD BE FUNCTIONAL ART, YOUR HOME SHOULD BE THE PERFECT RETREAT. Hobbs Modern is the premier mid century modern furniture dealer in San Diego, CA. We hand-select and curate each piece of our inventory which represents the iconic and exemplary Danish, American, and Brazilian vintage modern design with a relentless pursuit of restoration perfection and historical accuracy. Our passion is to breathe new life into vintage pieces. We ship nationwide.

Sold