"Sitzmaschine" reclining armchair, model no. 670, Josef Hoffmann, c. 1905, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Decorative Arts, Textiles and Sculpture
Red seat cushion with yellow squares, five wooden balls on the back of each curved arm; two vertical rows of open squares on seat back; five open vertical rectangles and five open squares beneath each arm Notice the frame of the chair: single pieces of beech wood have been carefully manipulated to form a continuous support. Originally designed for patients at a nursing home, this recliner can be easily adjusted by moving a rod between the circular knobs on the back arms of the chair. Hoffmann created a chair that allows both its construction and function to be visible. This Sitzmaschine (Sitting Machine) embodies the Wiener Werkstätte’s (Vienna Workshops’) emphasis on clean craftsmanship, geometric form, and material integrity.
Size: 43 x 32 1/8 x 25 1/4in. (109.2 x 81.6 x 64.1cm)
Medium: Stained and laminated beechwood, brass, original cushions