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Price category: 15,000 - 20,000 usd / eur

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This beloved José Zanine Caldas lounge chair from the “Linha Z” or “Z Line” is an exceptional example of Brazilian design of the 1950s. The design dates to 1949, The woven leather straps and the organic shape is unmatched.

This chair model is made of plywood and features a distinctive shape, distinguished by its legs. The legs and arms are connected and form one unit and their shape inspired the name of the line, “Linea Z”. The edges are softly rounded, which matches the versatile curvature of the body, which enhances the organic feel of the chair. Besides the plywood frame, the original leather upholstery is the stand-out element of this chair both in terms of visual and technical terms. The leather strap seat and back are tightly secured to the plywood, completing the great graphic expression this is widely known for. The bolts of the joinery are left visible, a detail that adds to the rawness of the design. The bent seat is perfectly angled for lounging, supporting the sitter’s whole body.

The pioneering Brazilian designer, José Zanine Caldas’s present design was created by Mòveis Artisticos Z, the factory Zanine Caldas founded in São José dos Campos in 1948. Most of Zanine Caldas’s designs - especially this armchair - tap into the modernist aesthetic while bearing exceptionally unique shapes: form and function revisited with a twist.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some scratches and discoloration on the wood.

Dimensions:

24.21 in W x 40.94 in D x 32.48 in H; Seat height 12.4 in

61.5 cm W x 104 cm D x 82.5 cm H; Seat height 31.5 cm

Literature:
Movel Moderno Brasileiro, published by Olhares editores, São Paulo 2017 by Alberto Vicente and Marcelo Vasconcellos
Aric Chen, Brazil Modern, Monaclli Press, New York City 2016
Ruy Teixeira e Jayme Vargas, Desenho da Utopia, Olhares, São Paulo 2016

About the designer:

José Zanine Caldas was born in Belmonte, at the southern coast of Bahia, in 1919. Son of a doctor, Zanine was an autodidact who, from a young age, was fascinated with his environment, especially with trees.

While most architects of his generation studied extensively, Zanine developed his own style through doing and making, and at the age of 20 decided to exchange Bahia for Rio de Janeiro. There he opened up a workshop for architectural scale-models and had the chance to work with pioneering modern architects like Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer.

Large scale furniture with modern design and affordable prices. This was the great advantage of the joinery Móveis Artístico Z founded in 1948 by the architect Zanine Caldas, in partnership with Sebastião Pontes and Paulo Mello, was a great success at the time. Headquartered in São José dos Campos (SP), it maintained its production for almost two decades. The form of creation, idealized by Zanine, was opposed to the market of the time, which was either based on the production of handmade furniture, in solid wood, or in pieces produced in series with an unattractive design. Breaking these paradigms, Móveis Artísticas Z revolutionized manufacturing pieces with improved design and great popular appeal.

Inspired by the local craftsmen who carved boats and furniture from fallen trees, Zanine began experimenting with chiselling and carving large, sculptural works, which became the focus of his later career. Zanine became a big advocate for preservation and in the 1980s, he established the Foundation Center for the Development of the Application of Brazilian Woods (DAM), in an effort to educate and attempt to reverse the rampant destruction of Brazilian rainforests.

Up until his death in 2001, Zanine kept his natural visions alive, and would plant a new tree in place of any tree that was taken down for one of his projects. ~H.