The history of the Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer

The Wassily Chair is a classic of modern design and is considered one of the most important pieces of furniture of the 20th century. The chair was designed by Marcel Breuer, a Hungarian architect and designer who was a member of the renowned Bauhaus school. The Wassily Chair is characterized by its clean lines and innovative use of materials and quickly became an important influence for an entire generation of furniture and industrial designers. In this post ,we'll take a closer look at the history and influence of the Wassily Chair.

The iconic silhouette of the Wassily chair by Marcel Breuer

A revolutionary design

The Wassily Chair, also known as the B3 Chair, is a design classic characterized by its clean lines and innovative use of materials. The chair was created in 1925 by the Hungarian designer Marcel Breuer and is considered one of the most important pieces of furniture of the 20th century. Breuer designed the chair when he was still a young architect and furniture designer and a member of the renowned Bauhaus school in Dessau. The chair was designed as part of a commission to furnish the living quarters of the director of the Bauhaus.

Materials and construction

Breuer designed the Wassily Chair as part of his experiments with the use of tubular steel as furniture structures. He wanted to create a design that emphasized the aesthetic and functional properties of tubular steel. The chair is made of bent and chrome-plated steel tubes, which together form a clear and geometric shape. The seat and backrest are made of leather straps that are stretched around the frame and give the chair a certain flexibility.

Black Wassily chair

Origin of the name

The name "Wassily Chair" comes from the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, who was Breuer's close friend and colleague at the Bauhaus. It is often reported that Kandinsky admired the chair when he saw it during a visit to Breuer's studio and Breuer gave him a chair as a gift.

A portrait of Marcel Breuer

Marcel Breuer was born in Pécs, Hungary, and began his art studies in Vienna. From 1920 to 1924, he studied at the Staatliches Bauhaus Weimar and trained as a carpenter. After being appointed "young master" in 1925, he took over the management of the carpentry workshop at the Bauhaus. At this time, he was influenced by holistic trends such as constructivism and De Stijl. Breuer developed some revolutionary furniture designs made of tubular steel, which he began as a private project and then realized at and for the Bauhaus Dessau. He worked with companies such as Junkers to develop prototypes. Breuer left the Bauhaus in 1928 to have more freedom and continue his experiments.

Success and influence

Although the Wassily Chair was not immediately popular when it was introduced, it gained in importance over time and is now considered one of the most important pieces of furniture of the 20th century. It was adapted by many other designers and furniture manufacturers and influenced an entire generation of furniture and industrial designers. Today, the Wassily Chair is manufactured by the Italian company Knoll and is available in a variety of colors and materials.

Although it has since become a symbol of modern design, the Wassily Chair remains a timeless example of the beauty and functionality of clean, minimalist furniture.

Picture quotes: Knoll