A 20th century design revolutionary
Gerrit Rietveld (Utrecht, 1888 – 1964) was a Dutch architect and designer who revolutionized the design landscape of the 20th century. His name is inseparably linked to the De Stijl movement and the formal renewal it proposed. From his most iconic creation, the Red and Blue chair, to the Rietveld-Schröder House, Gerrit Rietveld’s work represents a before and after in the history of modern design and architecture.
De Stijl: the geometrical language of Rietveld
It was in 1919 when Rietveld officially joined the De Stijl group, founded by Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian. This movement sought a pure artistic expression, based on geometric abstraction, the use of orthogonal lines and primary colors. Rietveld was able to transfer this plastic philosophy to three-dimensional space, both in furniture and architecture. Mondrian’s influence is especially evident in his commitment to asymmetrical composition and the elimination of superfluous decorative elements.
Red and Blue Chair: a functional sculpture
The Red and Blue Chair, designed between 1918 and 1923, symbolizes the perfect translation of De Stijl thinking to furniture. Initially conceived without color, Rietveld rethought it in 1923, adding red to the back, blue to the seat, black to the structure and yellow at the ends. This piece not only breaks with the traditional idea of the chair as a functional object, but also stands as a rationalist sculpture, a three-dimensional manifesto of modern art. The Red and Blue Chair is undoubtedly Gerrit Rietveld’s most recognizable work, and an indispensable reference for any collector of 20th century design.
Schröder House: De Stijl architecture in its purest form
A year later, in 1924, Rietveld completed the Schröder House in collaboration with Truus Schröder. This house, located in Utrecht, is considered the only building fully aligned with the principles of De Stijl. Its architecture is characterized by formal purity, asymmetrical facades, flexible spatial organization through movable planes and the application of color as a structural tool. Since 2000, the house has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, confirming its historical and artistic value.
Gerrit Reitveld and the Bauhaus
Although he was never a formal member of the Bauhaus, Gerrit Rietveld’s work was in close dialogue with the principles of this German school. They shared the same desire to integrate art, design and functionality under a rational and stripped-down aesthetic. The mutual influence was remarkable: figures such as Walter Gropius greatly valued Rietveld’s work, and the Red and Blue Chair inspired generations of designers linked to European functionalism.
Presence in museums and creative validity
Today, Gerrit Rietveld’s work is preserved in such prestigious museums as the MoMA in New York, the Vitra Design Museum in Germany and the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, which houses the largest collection of his legacy. But his presence transcends museums. His radical approach, combining geometric abstraction with functionality, continues to influence contemporary designers, architects and movements such as minimalism and conceptual design.
Gerrit Rietveld on the art market and auctions
In today’s context, Gerrit Rietveld’s value is not only historical or aesthetic, but also market-driven. The growing interest in signature design and iconic 20th century pieces has placed works such as the Red and Blue Chair on the radar of international collectors, galleries and auction houses. The possibility of acquiring an original Gerrit Rietveld creation at auction represents a unique opportunity to own a tangible fragment of modern design history. These pieces, due to their rarity, their symbolic character and their impeccable aesthetic validity, have been enormously revalued in the market.
Setdart offers just such an opportunity at its upcoming auction on July 1, featuring an authentic Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld. This occasion not only allows us to approach a reference work, but also to reflect on the role that design plays in our lives: as a function, as art and as a cultural investment.
Gerrit Rietveld was not a creator of objects, but a visionary who transformed the way we inhabit space. His legacy is still present in every pure line, in every essential composition and in every attempt to unite beauty and utility. That one of his pieces reaches the market today, a century after its conception, is unequivocal proof that his vision of design remains as relevant as it was then.
Discover this and many other iconic pieces in the auction catalog.
