C H A I R S This exhibition contains the complete range of Alvar Aalto's chairs. On show are unique, one-off chairs from Aalto's early period that were hand-made by master joiners, and mass-produced chairs from his later period. Of course, the story of his chairs is also the story of all the different stages in the whole of Aalto's design work; of how, as a young architect, he and his wife Aino were fascinated by revivalist styles and designed revivalist buildings and furniture themselves. Historical motifs disappeared fairly rapidly from his designs, however, and gave way to the Modernist trend made famous by his colleagues from Continental Europe. After the Second World War, Alvar Aalto's architecture took on a distinct character of its own, a development that can also be perceived in his other design work. Take a closer look at Aalto's chairs by clicking on the one you want in the top or bottom row. You can return to this page by clicking in the top right-hand corner.

Script: Teija Isohauta, Arja Reiman, Kaarina Mikonranta Images: Alvar Aalto Museum Archives Web design: Päivi Hintsanen © Alvar Aalto Museum 2002 ISBN 978-952-5371-61-1