"Chain" Armchair

Fabio Lenci

1967

An armchair in which Fabio Lenci threads a series of leather-wrapped cylindrical cushions between two curved glass panels to produce a floating, ergonomic seat that fuses industrial materials with sculptural play.

You first notice the warm, sausage-like rolls of leather appearing to float and conform between transparent, curved glass sides, their polished aluminum end caps punctuating the contrast of soft and hard.

A product of 1960s experimental design, the piece helped advance a dematerialized aesthetic—using glass, aluminum, and modular upholstery to challenge conventional furniture silhouettes and blur the line between machine-made object and domestic comfort.

Palette

Art Terms

Design Furnitureand interiors Industrial design Avant-garde Modern art Sculpture

Exhibitions

20th Century Design from the Museum Collection

1958

Recent Acquisitions, 1946–1953: Department of Architecture and Design

1953

Good Design

1950

Prize Designs for Modern Furniture

1950