Eero Saarinen

EERO SAARINEN (Finland, 1910 - United States, 1961) for KNOLL.
Set of five "Tulip" chairs.
Fiberglass reinforced polyester and cast aluminum. Black upholstered seat.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 78 x 50 x 60 cm.

Set of five "Tulip" chairs, iconic design created by Saarinen between 1955 and 1956 for the New York firm Knoll. It is a piece of furniture characterized by the soft lines of the modern movement and the innovative use of materials. It is now considered a classic of industrial design, and earned its creator the MoMA Award (1969), the Federal Award for Industrial Design (1969) and the Stuttgart Design Center Award (1962).
Saarinen initially studied sculpture at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière in Paris, and later architecture at Yale University. He then furthered his studies in Europe thanks to a scholarship, and upon his return took up a teaching position at Cranbrook Academy, one of the most important architecture and industrial design schools in the United States. In 1937 he began designing furniture in collaboration with Charles Eames, winning the 1940 prize in the "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Later, as an independent designer, Saarinen created furniture designs for Knoll International. Today his creations are present in the most important collections around the world, including the MoMA in New York.