Chairs displayed on their own as pure form An overview of the 20th century More than any other piece of furniture, the chair has been subjected to the wildest dreams of the designers. The particular curve of a backrest, or the twist of a leg, the angle of a seat or the color of the entire artifact all reflect the stylistic consciousness of each era. From Gerrit Rietveld and Alvar Aalto to Verner Panton to Eva Zeisel, from Art Nouveau to International Style, from Pop Art to Postmodernism, the phenomenon of the chair is so complex that it requires a reference work as comprehensive as this to do it full justice. They are all here: Thonet's bentwood chairs and Hoffmann's sitting-machines, Marcel Breuer's Wassily chair and Ron Arad's avant-garde armchairs. The book devotes one page to each chair, displayed on its own as pure form, with biographical and historical information about the chairs and their designers. A special treat for anyone who loves design and a must for collectors! About the series: Bibliotheca Universalis-- Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price! Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, the name TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing. Bibliotheca Universalis brings together nearly 100 of our all-time favorite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia. Bookworm's delight -- never bore, always excite! Text in English, French, and German.