The International Style, a modernist movement within architecture and furniture design that was given its name by American architect Philip Johnson and historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock, was born during the 1920s and ’30s. It gained steam initially in Europe and then in the United States as a response to the first World War. Building projects associated with the movement, as well as vintage International Style chairs, tables and other furnishings, are minimal and pared back.
Pioneers of the International Style — architect Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus colleagues Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, De Stijl advocate and Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud and visionary designer Le Corbusier — stripped away decorative elements and placed considerable value on functionality and clean lines, integrating the use of industrial materials like steel, concrete and large sheets of glass in their work. Quite aptly, this mode of design and architectural style coincided with an era now known as the Machine Age and became a global symbol of modernism. The primary motive of its practitioners was to address the changing needs of a rapidly industrializing society, especially the demand for office complexes and apartments in large cities, through economical, technologically advanced, yet aesthetically pleasing designs for furniture and buildings.
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,” said Le Corbusier of the philosophy behind his practical modernist architecture.
The International Style’s designers and architects were inspired by the advantages afforded them by the era’s new technology and industrial machinery as well as state-of-the-art materials. Le Corbusier was fond of framing his buildings in steel but reinforced concrete made far more economic sense. He is probably most admired for the iconic private homes and commercial buildings that he designed or codesigned with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, which are spread across the world, from New York City to Paris to Chandigarh, India. Today, Breuer’s Wassily Lounge chair; the elegant LC series created by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand; and Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich, are emblems of progressive modernist design and all make prominent use of tubular steel. Vintage originals are the prized cornerstone of collections.
“The International Style is probably the first fundamentally original and widely distributed style since the Gothic,” posited Johnson in the book that accompanied “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition,” an architectural show he cocurated with Hitchcock that featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra and others. While the term “International Style” had previously been circulating in Europe, when the show opened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1932, it yielded a much broader application of this important style of design.
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Stainless Steel Double Chain, by Rain, Wall Piece, Stainless Steel, Polished
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Chains series represents a particular look into a rough object, which is often strictly associated to its functional purpose. The piece propose a reflection on mass production...
Stainless Steel
Swimming Pool Table, Large, by RAIN, Contemporary Table, Metal and Painted Glass
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The contemporary swimming pool table. The inspiration for this collection comes from dreamlike images of leisure and good times that swimming pools...
Metal
Livio Seguso sculpture in Murano glass circa 1970
By Livio Seguso
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Wonderful sculpture in Murano glass stamped LIVIO SEGUSO circa 1970.
Murano Glass
Stainless Steel Chain, by Rain, Wall Piece, Stainless Steel, Polished
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Chains series represents a particular look into a rough object, which is often strictly associated to its functional purpose. The piece propose a reflection on mass production...
Stainless Steel
Black Chain, by Rain, Wall Piece, Stainless Steel, Black
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Chains series represents a particular look into a rough object, which is often strictly associated to its functional purpose. The piece propose a reflection on mass production...
Stainless Steel
Magnificent Buddha Head Sculpture – Intricate Ornamental Headdress & Aged Golden
Located in Pasadena, TX
A captivating Buddha head sculpture featuring an exceptionally detailed ornamental headdress, beautifully sculpted facial features, elongated earlobes, and a peaceful, meditative exp...
Bronze
Bronze Sculpture Alto by Perrin & Perrin France
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze sculpture by Perrin & Perrin, French glass artists represented by Galerie Negropontes. Measures: H 21 x L 18 x P 7 cm / H 8.3 x W 7.1 x D 2.7 inch Martine and Jacki Perrin scu...
Bronze
Franz Weissmann Brazilian Abstract Sculpture steel !979
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible abstract sculpture in steel by Franz Weissmann 1979
Steel
Steel Sculpture by Nicolas Vlavianos, 1970
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Steel sculpture signed and dated Vlavianos in perfect conditions.
Steel
Roberto Moriconi 1974 steel and wood base.
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Wonderful sculpture in steel and wood by ROBERTO MORICONI 1974. Futuristic.
Steel
Emanoel Araujo brazilian sculpture in fiberglass and wood polychrome circa 1980
By Emanoel Araújo 1
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible EMANOEL ARAUJO abstract sculpture in fiberglass and wood signed and polychrome circa 1980.
Fiberglass, Wood
Seguso Vetri dArte Murano glass abstract sculpture circa 1950
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible Seguso Vetri dArte abstract sculpture in Murano glass circa 1950
Murano Glass
Remo Bernucci 1970 set of 9 totens in plaster and wood polychrome sculpture.
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible RENO BERNUCCI group of sculptures in plaster, wood polychrome with 9 pieces.
Plaster, Wood
Bronze Sculpture Nocturnal by Perrin & Perrin France
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze sculpture by Perrin & Perrin, French glass artists represented by Galerie Negropontes, 2021 Measures: H 23 x L 19.5 x P 8 cm / H 9 x W 7.5 x D 3.14 inch Martine and Jacki Perr...
Bronze
Nicolas Vlavianos steel 1974 sculpture with wood base signed
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible NICOLAS VLAVIANOS brazilian steel 1970 abstract sculpture with wood base.
Steel
Bronze Sculpture Bolero by Perrin & Perrin France
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze sculpture by Perrin & Perrin, Galerie Negropontes, 2021 Measures: H 22.5 x L 19 x P 7 cm / H 8.7 x W 7.5 x D 2.7 inch Martine and Jacki Perrin sculpt together as one, forming ...
Bronze
Fulvio Bianconi massive block of Murano glass circa 1950
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Sculpture abstract form in Murano glass attributed by FULVIO BIANCONI circa 1950
Murano Glass
Nicolas Vlavianos Greek steel 1974 sculpture with wood base signed
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible steel sculpture with wood base signed VL 74 to Nicolas Vlavianos 1974
Steel
Mirror 'Tafla O5' in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Paris, IDF
"Tafla O5" contemporary mirror by Zieta Original Zieta mirror, delivered with certificate. Polished stainless steel Measures: 60 x 40 x 6 cm. More shapes and sizes are available ...
Stainless Steel
$380Sale Price|20% Off
H 8 in W 5.25 in D 5.5 in
Buddha Riding Three Headed Elephant Bronze Sculpture / Indra on Erawan
Located in San Diego, CA
Well casted, heavy bronze, Buddha riding three headed elephant sculpture, circa 1960s. The piece depicts Indra, Hindu deity (god of rain and thunder), riding a three-headed elephant ...
Bronze
Mirror Tafla O3 in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
By Oskar Zieta, Zieta
Located in Paris, IDF
"Tafla O3" contemporary mirror by Zieta Original Zieta mirror, delivered with certificate. Polished stainless steel Measures: 124 x 79 x 6 cm. Zieta ...
Stainless Steel
Mirror Tafla O6 in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Paris, IDF
"Tafla O6" contemporary mirror by Zieta Original Zieta mirror, delivered with certificate. Polished stainless steel Measures: 55 x 50 x 6 cm Zieta is best known for his collectio...
Stainless Steel
Ceramic Link Chain Wall Sculpture
Located in Attleboro, MA
Chains echo different emotions in us, some see them as a symbol of imprisonment, and vulnerability and some see as an emotion of inter connectivity and strong bond between the people. The truth is ,chains as we see them in the moment will either resonate the first or the latter symbolism depending on the emotions we feel at the moment. This eye-catching wall hanging adds a nomadic and mystical feel to any room. Created through a hand-intensive process of linking hand built stoneware rings of different sizes, this wall hanging is a dynamic decoration for an eclectic bedroom...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Linen
$1,591
H 41.34 in W 25.6 in D 1.19 in
Mid-Century Modern Tiled Wall Panels Plaques of Bacchus by Bertoni
Located in Antwerp, BE
A terrific ceramic wall piece of Bacchus by the Italian ceramic artist H Bertoni. This piece features a roman male figure with an harp resting on a s...
Wood, Ceramic
19th Century Majolica Palissy Fishs Wall Platter by Victor Barbizet
By Victor Barbizet
Located in Austin, TX
Large Palissy fishs wall platter on a blue background with bugs, butterfly, lizard, crawfish, shells, leaves as ferns. The School of Paris is composed by makers as Victor Barbizet, F...
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
Yoruba Four Headed Egungun Headdress
Located in Chicago, IL
This wooden headdress was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a...
Wood
Circular Stainless Steel Wall Art
Located in Dallas, TX
Circular stainless steel hanging element. Designed in my organic, contemporary, and mid-centrury modern style. Piece from our one of a kind collection, Le Monde. Exclusive to Brenda...
Stainless Steel
Vintage French Perforated Metal and Glass Table, c. 1950
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage midcentury 1950s French perforated metal side table with three legs. The glass and perforated metal support at the top top are concave with a slight bowl shape.
Metal
Mirror 'Tafla O6' in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Paris, IDF
"Tafla O6" contemporary mirror by Zieta Original Zieta mirror, delivered with certificate. Polished stainless steel Measures: 55 x 50 x 6 cm. Zieta is best known for his collecti...
Stainless Steel
Mirror 'Tafla C4' in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
Ceramic Link Chain Wall Sculpture
Located in Attleboro, MA
Chains echo different emotions in us, some see them as a symbol of imprisonment, and vulnerability and some see as an emotion of inter connectivity and strong bond between the people. The truth is ,chains as we see them in the moment will either resonate the first or the latter symbolism depending on the emotions we feel at the moment. This eye-catching wall hanging adds a nomadic and mystical feel to any room. Created through a hand-intensive process of linking hand built stoneware rings of different sizes, this wall hanging is a dynamic decoration for an eclectic bedroom...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Linen
Mirror 'Tafla C5' in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
Mirror 'Tafla C5' in Polished Stainless Steel by Zieta
Glazed Purple Large Candleholder with Sculpted Lid by Laura Gonzalez
Located in Paris, FR
Sculptural candleholder inspired by organic shapes, available in green, purple, blue and matte white colors, and two sizes. Made by a Parisian ceramic workshop.
Earthenware
Black Iron Seafaring Art Sculpture, Denmark
Located in Munich, DE
Black Iron Art Sculpture with a maritim massiv Iron Signal mast and chains Sculpture. Bought in the 50ths in Copenhagen, Denmark. Artist unknown. very nice and decorative ! IT...
Iron