Cabinet Armchairs by Josef Hoffmann, Austria, 1903

Designed in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann for the Wiener Werkstätte, the Cabinet Chair (Kabinettsessel) stands among the most emblematic expressions of early Viennese Modernism. Its rigorous cubic silhouette, articulated by a dark-stained wooden frame and sharply defined armrests, reflects Hoffmann’s pursuit of clarity and proportion, an approach that earned him the nickname “Quadratl Hoffmann.” The design embodies his principle of “das einfache Möbel”, a commitment to formal reduction, material honesty, and functional integrity within a refined architectural language.

This pair represents an early production of the model, executed in dark-stained wood and upholstered in a satin fabric with stylised Art Nouveau motifs. The generous seat cushion softens the rigorous geometry, while the piped edges emphasise the precise outline of the frame. As an object, the Cabinet Chair marks a pivotal moment between the decorative Secession and the emergence of proto-modernist abstraction, and remains one of Hoffmann’s most enduring and architecturally resolved designs. Priced individually.