Gerrit Rietveld (Dutch, 1888-1964), Side Table

Late 20th century production by Cassina, Italy, lacquered wood panels, labeled.

24 x 19.75 x 20.5 in.

This table embodies Gerrit Rietveld’s approach to "spatial creations" within his furniture, incorporating as it does floating planes, and seemingly weightless, interconnected elements—all rendered in Rietveld’s trademark black, white and primary color scheme, most commonly associated with his work for the Dutch art and design group, De Stijl, during the 1920s. The table was designed specifically for The Schröder House in Utrecht, a project regarded as the architectural embodiment of the ideals of De Stijl, and now considered by many to be Rietveld’s most important work.

Originally trained as a carpenter, Rietveld transformed objects and buildings into abstract compositions of lines and planes—and the somewhat utilitarian approach to interlocking geometric, wooden elements in this table anticipates Rietveld’s later interests in experimental self-assembly furniture, and even prefabricated and standardized housing design.

Slight lean to top; small scratches and dents to top.