Masterpieces by Gerrit Rietveld from the Collection of Michael Maharam

Design Agenda: The Collection of Michael Maharam, Sotheby’s New York, October 15, 2021

Over the course of two decades, Michael Maharam has quietly and diligently assembled one of the most important and complete surveys of authentic and early Gerrit Rietveld chair designs outside of public institutions. The collection reveals the conceptional narrative that confirms Rietveld as one of the most rigorous and innovative thinkers in modern design, fluently certain of concept and skillfully versatile in medium. The collection is spearheaded by an exceptional example of Rietveld’s century-defining masterpiece— the “Rood Blauwe stoel” of 1919 that was to re-wire critical thought and synthesize boundaries between art, architecture and design— and concludes with symmetrically-paired examples of his final work, the refined Steltman chair of 1963.

Louis Soulard participated in the research, due diligence, and writing of the catalogue essays for the collection at large together with design expert and consultant on this project, Simon Andrews.

Read more about the collection on sothebys.com