Terms and conditions of use
Armchair 41
designed (1930); manufactured (early 1970s)
Medium
laminated Birch, painted plywood
Measurements
63.7 × 61.1 × 86.6 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1975
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Throughout the 1920s Aalto conducted experiments into the bending of wood and wood lamination. He is credited with adapting the lamination process for mass production and his experiments led to his revolutionary chair designs of the 1930s, including Armchair 41, designed to furnish the Paimio Sanatorium. Its design is closely allied to the cantilevered chairs of Marcel Breuer and Mies van der Rohe, although Armchair 41 is made entirely out of wood. The chair heralded a new direction in materials, plywood and laminated woods being firmly embraced by other Scandinavian designers, not to mention Charles and Ray Eames in America.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Finland
Accession Number
D136-1975
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
Seat - back panels united in single sheet plywood, each end attached to supporting framework.