Six Dining Chairs attr. to Sergio Rodrigues with Cowhide Upholstery, 1960s

Sergio Rodrigues (1927–2014), attr. to,

A striking set of six modernist dining chairs attributed to Carioca design pioneer and frequent Oscar Niemeyer collaborator Sérgio Rodrigues, in polished wood, upholstered in caramel-colored cowhide. The chairs synthesize a unique combination of Shaker, De Stijl, and Japanese influences, reinterpreting them through a distinctly Brazilian lens.

An extra-high, triangular curved back, which comfortably supports the body, culminates in a sculptural head-rest reminiscent of Edo-period takamakura. It hinges on a geometric frame that narrows between the front and back legs to form a trapezoid, foregrounding the negative space between the diagonal stretchers, and culminating in hyper-tapered legs. These elegant chairs are notable for their lightness and vertically elongated proportions.

Dubbed the father of Brazilian furniture, Rodrigues an architect and designer alongside Joaquim Tenreiro and José Zanine Caldas, spearheaded the country’s ascent as a force for innovative, avant-guarde modernism that highlighted indigenous materials and infused the movement’s sometimes impersonal utilitarianism with warmth and dynamism.

43 H x 19 W x 19 D / 14 H at seat