Designed in 1924 for Pander & Zonen, this armchair by Hendrik Wouda is one of the rarest and most refined expressions of Dutch Art Deco from the 1920s. Extremely dfficult to find - which makes this piece exceptionally rare and sought after, especially in fully original condition.
This particular example is museum-grade: structurally excellent, completely untouched, with its original upholstery still intact. Nothing has been restored or replaced.
Wouda’s language is unmistakable here. The chair is architectural, yet deeply grounded. Its planes are sharp, its construction precise. The oak frame is reduced to essentials but never cold - angular, yes, but balanced by a subtle sensitivity to scale and proportion. The upholstery sits within the frame, not over it. It’s this clarity that gives the chair its presence.
The influence of Frank Lloyd Wright - often referenced in Wouda’s work - came to the Netherlands via H.P. Berlage, who personally met Wright and was the first to introduce his ideas to the Dutch architectural discourse. Wouda worked briefly in Berlage’s office, but ultimately moved beyond the weight of his mentor’s principles. He pushed the architectural idiom further - toward a more restrained, almost radical clarity, and into the realm of furniture.
This chair is part of that evolution.
A similar model is held in the collection of the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, and this design has been featured in the monograph on Wouda’s work (see last pictures in presentation). It is one of the defining examples of the Haagse School, a uniquely Dutch vision of modern luxury - rational, structured, but never rigid.
Creator
Hendrik Wouda
Design Period
1924
Production Period
1920s
Country of Manufacture
Netherlands
Identifying Marks
Yes (metal plate ''Pander & Zonen'' underneath)
Style
Modernist, Rationalist, Dutch Art Deco, Haagse School
Detailed Condition
Good - constructively in perfect condition. Small traces of the time, Original upholstery. Original springs in seat, original filling.
Restoration and Damage Details
Original condition, very well preserved. The chair has a wax finish (like it originally was)
