George Nelson, Perch chairs for Vitra

GEORGE NELSON (United States, 1908 - 1986) for VITRA.
Set of four "Perch" office chairs, ca. 1990.
Dark brown leather seat and back, chrome base,
Height adjustable and swivel seat.
In good condition, practically new.
Measurements: 70 x 70 x 102 cm.

Pair of office chairs "Perch" raised on black plastic wheels supporting a five-spoke chromed steel base. Seat and backrest upholstered in black leather, height adjustable and swivel.

George Nelson graduated in architecture from Yale University (1928), and later studied art in Rome. He specialized in industrial, interior and exhibition design, and was, along with Charles and Ray Eames, one of the founding fathers of American modernism. While in Italy he traveled the length and breadth of Europe, meeting a number of pioneers of the modern movement, including Mies van der Rohe. In 1935 he joined the editorial staff of "Architectural Forum", a magazine of which he would first become associate editor until 1943, and then editorial advisor until 1949. During this period he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright on a special issue of the magazine, which marked Wright's return to the scene at the time. Nelson defended, sometimes fiercely, the principles of the modern movement, even irritating many of his colleagues who, as industrial designers, made, according to Nelson, too many concessions to the commercial forces of industry. The American believed that the work of a designer should serve to improve the world because, in his view, nature is already perfect, and man spoiled it by creating things that did not really follow natural rules. In 1945 Nelson began working for the firm Herman Miller, and it was then that he really began to design furniture, occupying the position of design director. That same year Nelson's first collection for the firm was published, beginning a collaboration that would result in some of the most famous furniture designs of the 20th century. Today his designs can be seen in the Vitra Museum of Design (he began collaborating with the firm in 1957) and the MoMA in New York, among many other public and private collections.