Mies van der Rohe, less is more

Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) coined the phrase that defines modernity. A German architect, last director of the Bauhaus before his exile to the United States, he designed in 1929 for the German pavilion at the Barcelona exhibition a chair that had never existed before: the Barcelona Chair. Hand-tufted leather, polished chromed steel scissor-shaped frame, absolute proportions. Alongside the Brno armchair and the MR chair, it forms the triptych by which Mies brought seating into modern architecture. Edited since 1948 by Knoll.

The Barcelona armchair, MR chair and Brno armchair remain the world references in modernist seating. Original Knoll editions, recognisable by their stamp and leather quality, have become collectible pieces for those wanting an authentic Bauhaus interior.