Armchair c. 1912 - 1913

displayed

pottery

3d printed part

product displayed

furniture

3d shape

stoneware

wall hanging

framed image

architecture model

united-states

mechanical engineering model

This armchair, created by American architect William Gray Purcell between 1912 and 1913, is a prime example of the Arts and Crafts movement. The chair, crafted from oak and upholstered in green leather, features a distinctive geometric design with intricate latticework that emphasizes the beauty of natural materials. The chair’s simple yet elegant form reflects the movement's emphasis on functionality and handcrafted quality, making it a popular piece among art and design enthusiasts. The chair is currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Purcell and Elmslie designed a number of Midwestern banks. These square brick buildings with their opaque art-glass window walls embodied the qualities of solidity and stability important to bankers and their customers. The most elaborate was the Merchants National Bank of Winona, Minnesota, still in use as a bank today. Twelve chairs of this design were made for the bank directors' boardroom. Their cube-like shape echoes that of the bank building. The vertical spindle "screens" forming the sides probably influenced Purcell and Elmslie's designs of armchairs and decorative interior elements for the Edna S. Purcell residence (now the Purcell-Cutts house), in Minneapolis, designed at the same time.