Item Description
An icon, scaled for the mantle. This is a rare, large-scale presentation or display model of Gerrit Rietveld’s radical “Aluminium Stoel”—a chair that, in its full-sized form, was never actually produced in aluminum during his lifetime. Originally conceived in 1942 for the N.V. Nederlandsche Aluminium Maatschappij, Rietveld’s design was a bold experiment in material and minimalism, translating his revolutionary De Stijl geometries into the language of single-sheet metal construction. The chair remained a prototype during his lifetime, with posthumous editions finally realizing his vision. This oversized maquette—part architectural model, part sculptural object—exists in a rare and captivating category of its own. Cast or fabricated with faithful attention to the chair’s defining curves and sharp angular cutouts, the model echoes Rietveld’s sculptural manipulation of a single plane: a continuous sweep of material bent, perforated, and folded into a functional throne. The matte aluminum surface catches light beautifully, shifting from stark graphic silhouette to warm metallic glow as one moves around it. Its exaggerated scale transforms the familiar chair into something uncanny and commanding—a statement piece that blurs the boundary between furniture history and fine art. Designer: Gerrit Rietveld Model: Aluminium Stoel (large display/presentation model) Materials: Aluminum Period: Circa late 20th Century Features: Oversized scale; faithful to Rietveld’s original prototype geometry; striking sculptural presence This is not a toy, a miniature, or a mere reproduction. It is a unique studio or presentation object, likely produced for an exhibition, gallery, or institutional context. As a result, it carries an aura distinct from any production piece—a singular artifact for the collector who already owns the canonical works and seeks the truly improbable.
