Boppard chair, Michael Thonet, c. 1836-1840, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Decorative Arts, Textiles and Sculpture
top of back support slightly curved; central back support bar is made up of two U-shapes with three lozenges between; cane seat; curved bent wood legs, feet and side supports Indelibly identified as classics of modern design, the remarkable bentwood furnishings of Gebrüder Thonet continue to turn heads more than a century later. The history of bentwood furniture dates back centuries, but it was Michael Thonet, an enterprising cabinetmaker from Boppard-am-Rein in Germany, who propelled the notion of steam-bending woods (and subsequently, tubular metal) into the 20th century, representing a significant passage from craft to industrial production. In 1819, Thonet began producing delicate, lightweight Biedermeier designs in his hometown, one surrounded by forests. This led to experiments with laminated wood a decade later. Having gained the patronage of Prince Metternich, he moved to Vienna where this side chair was made. Today, this chair serves as a celebrated example in which the stylish forms of Biedermeier furniture converge with a new, revolutionary technology. Incidentally, we continue to struggle with the correct pronunciation, many preferring the French Tho-Nay rather than the correct German TONN-ett.
Size: 33 1/4 x 16 7/8 x 19 in. (84.46 x 42.86 x 48.26 cm)
Medium: Bent and laminated wood, walnut veneer, cane