The smooth, curved lines of bentwood chairs epitomize the timeless elegance linked to the European café style. While we may take this furniture style for granted today, its emergence in the late 19th century represented a revolutionary design advancement and signified an exhilarating shift from the rigid straight lines of earlier eras.
This novel approach was considered ground-breaking in the realm of furniture design, earning a gold medal at the 1867 World Fair in Paris.
Michael Thonet, born in Germany in 1796, started his career by mastering traditional cabinet-making techniques. However, fuelled by his innovative spirit, he was not satisfied with crafting cabinetry and chairs in the conventional manner. Instead, he would spend hours manipulating wood to create unique and intriguing shapes, unlike anything else seen in furniture design.
By the 1830s, Thonet was already exploring methods of creating furniture from wood that had been bent instead of carved into shape. Initially, he experimented with thin strips of veneer, which were stacked, bound and softened in boiling glue. These strips were then shaped in moulds and allowed to dry before being assembled into various furniture pieces, finished with a veneer layer.
In time, Thonet shifted his focus to a more advanced technique for bending solid wood. By 1855, he had perfected a process in which straight-grained beechwood logs were cut, planed, steamed, and soaked in hot water to enhance their flexibility. The wooden rods were then bent into iron moulds, where they were left to dry and solidify. This revolutionary technique allowed Thonet to manipulate wood in ways previously deemed impossible, giving rise to intricate, elegant curves and shapes that were unattainable through traditional carpentry methods. Thonet’s designs featured graceful, sweeping curves that not only enhanced aesthetic appeal but also provided exceptional comfort by aligning with the natural contours of the human body. Additionally, the bentwood method reduced the number of joints, thereby minimizing future maintenance needs.
Thonet’s breakthrough design, the “Thonet Chair No. 14”, often simply called the “No. 14 Chair”, epitomized this innovation. Comprising just six pieces of steam-bent wood, ten screws, and two nuts, the chair’s simplicity was its hallmark. Its lightweight construction, durability and cost-effectiveness represented a shift from the luxury status of high-quality design, making it accessible to a wider audience. The No. 14 Chair’s streamlined style, featuring its steam-bent wooden frame and cane seat, effectively merged functionality with an artistic expression of flair and innovation. The fluid curves and seamless connections reflected the beauty of nature, resonating with an inherent appreciation for aesthetics and ergonomic comfort.
The widespread success of Thonet’s bentwood designs led to their adoption throughout Europe and beyond. The onset of the industrial revolution and advancements in manufacturing technology enabled the mass production of bentwood furniture. Thonet’s factory in Vienna emerged as a pivotal centre for this production, earning international acclaim for his work. Bentwood chairs gained popularity not only in Europe but also in North America, becoming a staple in public spaces such as cafés, restaurants and hotels due to their lightweight, durable and comfortable design, which also made them ideal for outdoor use.
As the 20th century advanced, the bentwood chair continued to develop. Designers and architects began to explore the technique, pushing the limits of what could be accomplished with bentwood. The Bauhaus movement, which prioritized functionality and simplicity, was especially impactful in this context. Designers like Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe integrated bentwood into their creations, frequently merging it with other materials such as steel to provide innovative and captivating forms.
Today, bentwood chairs are still a favoured choice in both traditional and contemporary settings, with the No. 14 Chair being produced and celebrated for over 150 years.
References
Aronson, J. 1970. The Encyclopedia of Furniture. London: B.T. Batsford.
Hayward, H. 1981. World Furniture. Middlesex: The Hamlyn Publishing Group.
Kench, J. 1987. Cottage Furniture in South Africa. Cape Town: C. Struik.
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https://ideas.rejuvenation.com/a-brief-history-of-bentwood-furniture (Accessed 2024/09/18)
https://thonet.com.au (Accessed 2024/09/18)
https://www.ballarddesigns.com/howtodecorate/2015/10/celebrating-an-iconic-design-bentwood-chair (Accessed 2024/09/16)
https://www.trentfurniture.co.uk/news/blog/blogid-239/a-brief-history-of-bentwood-chairs (Accessed 2024/09/17)
https://www.vinterior.co/blog/behind-the-design/the-history-of/michael-thonet-the-father-of bentwood-furniture (Accessed 2024/09/16)
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