Joaquim Tenreiro was a pioneer of Brazilian modern design. The epitome of his sleek and timeless furniture, the Three-Legged Chair combines Tenreiro’s modern aesthetic with Brazil’s natural materials—specifically its tropical woods. Three delicate legs support the sensuous lines of the seat, made from alternating native pau marfim and angelim pedra woods with contrasting light and dark values. Stacked and joined together, the two woods are not only decorative elements but are part of the structural design of the piece itself, demonstrating Tenreiro’s masterful understanding of the properties of his materials. Designed in 1947, the chair was featured at his newly opened showroom in Copacabana.
Born in Portugal, where he learned woodworking from his father, Tenreiro settled permanently in Rio de Janeiro in 1928. While studying painting, he earned a living making eclectic, European-style furniture to satisfy the tastes of his clients. In 1942, the architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907–2012; M.2020.206) commissioned Tenreiro to design the furniture for a home he was building in Cataguases, Minas Gerais. This marked a turning point in Tenreiro’s trajectory, as he began creating lighter, more streamlined designs such as the Three-Legged Chair.
Rachel Kaplan
2024
