Three Armchairs in Ebonized Wood & Metal with Loose Cushion, Carlo Hauner, 1950s (Lot 305-514)

Description:

A disciplined study in structure and restraint, this set of three armchairs by Carlo Hauner distills the architectural clarity that defined Brazilian modernism in the postwar period. Designed in the 1950s, the composition reflects Hauner’s broader ethos—an economy of means paired with a precise understanding of proportion, line, and spatial tension. Italian-born and deeply embedded in Brazil’s evolving design culture, Hauner developed a language where lightness and rigor coexist with quiet authority.

The chairs are organized around a slender, continuous metal frame, articulated in blackened steel and drawn with deliberate angularity. The legs splay subtly outward, establishing both stability and visual lift, while the arm supports and seat rails are resolved through a single fluid gesture of bent metal. This skeletal clarity allows the structure to read as both framework and contour—defining the silhouette without excess.

Backrests are composed of two horizontally aligned wooden slats, finished in a deep ebonized tone. Their separation introduces a measured negative space that reduces visual density and reinforces the rhythmic cadence of the design. This interval—both structural and optical—becomes essential to the chair’s identity, allowing the composition to breathe while maintaining its geometric discipline.

Material contrast is handled with precision. The matte black metal establishes a graphic foundation, against which the ebonized wood introduces warmth and depth without disrupting the chair’s restraint. The loose cushions—newly upholstered in an off-white tweed—offer a subtle counterpoint: tactile, softly dimensional, and intentionally understated. Their presence tempers the austerity of the frame while preserving the clarity of the underlying construction.

Function is fully embedded within the form. The angled backrest and extended arms support a relaxed posture, while the open framework ensures durability without visual weight. The result is a seating typology that feels simultaneously utilitarian and sculptural—equally suited to everyday use and architectural placement.

Examples of Hauner’s seating remain comparatively scarce, particularly in configurations that preserve this level of structural integrity and material clarity. This trio underscores his disciplined synthesis of industrial logic and refined proportion—an enduring expression of Brazilian mid-century design at its most rigorous and composed.

The listed price reflects the set of three armchairs; however, they are also available individually at $4,000 each.