Mandarin armchair by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, 1986

Mandarin armchair designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll International in 1986, representative of the postmodern furniture developed by the Italian designer in the 1980s. This version combines a padded seat and backrest in blue fabric with a black metal frame. The design is dominated by two large curved tubular armrests that describe a continuous curve on either side of the armchair. Their sculptural line contrasts with the deliberately simple geometry of the seat, the rectangular backrest, and the four straight legs. Created a few years after the founding of the Memphis group, the Mandarin armchair belongs to a period during which Sottsass continued his explorations of colour, geometry, and the transformation of traditional furniture typologies. Knoll notably relates the design of its armrests to the shapes of Thonet's bentwood furniture. Seat height: 45 cm. Edition: Knoll International, 1986.