Armchair
Otto Wagner
Austrian, 1841–1918
1902
A bent-beechwood and aluminum armchair in which Otto Wagner paired the warmth and bendability of wood with the clarity and strength of metal to make a spare, ergonomic seat for modern interiors.
What strikes you is the continuous, semicircular back and armrail, the punched‑metal seat and the bright aluminum accents capping the tapered legs, a precise contrast of warm curves and cool, engineered details.
Made in 1902, the chair crystallizes Vienna’s turn toward functional, industrially informed furniture—showing how architects like Wagner translated modern urban needs and the possibilities of new materials into everyday design.
Medium
Bent beechwood and aluminum
Dimensions
30 7/8 x 22 1/4 x 20 1/4" (78.5 x 56.5 x 51.5 cm), seat h. 18 5/8" (47.3 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Estée and Joseph Lauder Design Fund
Accession
479.1978
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
