Brazilian Modern Armchair in Pau Marfim & Green Mohair, Pierre Weckx, 1950s - Lot 880A

Description

This elegant 1950s armchair by Pierre Weckx exemplifies the inventive craftsmanship and modernist clarity that characterized Brazil’s design renaissance in the mid-century period. Weckx—active in São Paulo during the 1950s and 60s—is known for his architectural approach to furniture, where structure becomes an expressive element of the design. His work often features bold geometric lines, lightness of form, and a distinctly Brazilian use of tropical hardwoods.

This armchair is a particularly striking example. Its silhouette is sculptural yet airy, defined by sharply angled legs that create Weckx’s signature “spider-like” stance—an aesthetic also explored by contemporaries such as Carlo Hauner and Giuseppe Scapinelli. The frame is crafted in Pau Marfim, a hardwood prized for its warm tone, durability, and subtle, linear grain. The wood’s natural luminosity contrasts beautifully with the tailored upholstered seat and back, giving the chair both visual presence and comfort.

The upholstery is executed in a rich olive-brown velvet with muted bronze undertones, offering a restrained warmth that shifts subtly under light. Its dense, low pile possesses a soft directional nap that creates gentle tonal movement across the surface, lending depth without excessive sheen. 

The design achieved notable visibility in its time: this exact model was featured on the cover of Casa & Jardim, No. 38 (September 1957), highlighting its importance within the modern Brazilian interior of the era.

A refined blend of architecture, sculpture, and ergonomics, the piece captures Weckx’s contribution to the canon of Brazilian modernism—rare, sophisticated, and undeniably timeless.