Sitzmaschine reclining armchair, model no. 670

Designer: Josef Hoffmann

c. 1905

Stained and laminated beechwood, brass, original cushions

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A wooden rocking armchair with a red patterned cushion and a tall, slatted backrest. The chair features curved wooden arms and a rocking base. Notice the frame of the chair: single pieces of beech wood have been carefully manipulated to form a continuous support. Originally designed for patients at a nursing home, this recliner can be easily adjusted by moving a rod between the circular knobs on the back arms of the chair. Hoffmann created a chair that allows both its construction and function to be visible. This Sitzmaschine (Sitting Machine) embodies the Wiener Werkstätte’s (Vienna Workshops’) emphasis on clean craftsmanship, geometric form, and material integrity. Gallery Not on View The Modernism Collection, gift of Norwest Bank Minnesota