Mies van der Rohe - Barcelona Chair - 1929

Developed for the German pavilion of the world exhibition in Barcelona, 1929.

The frame made of cold rolled bar stock steel that is then triple chrome plated. The leathers are full grain aniline hides. Squares are individually cut and sewn.
The chair is a very difficult object. Everyone who has ever tried to make one knows that. There are endless possibilities and many problems - the chair has to be light, it has to be strong, it has to be comfortable It is almost easier to build a skyscraper than a chair" Mies 1930.

The exhibition was an occasion of international importance, attended by the Spanish Royal family as well as many government officials from around Europe. Mies was well aware of this significance and of the challenges that faced him when he set about designing the chair for the Pavilion, he commented at the time that this was to be "an important chair, a very elegant chair and costly. It had to be monumental. You couldn't just use a kitchen chair" Mies 1929.

Dimensions: 75 x 75 x 75 cm W x D x H