One such iconic piece is Thonet Chair No. 14, created by German cabinetmaker Michael Thonet and is famously known as the "chair of chairs "in the world of design. Thonet's chair creation is known for its simple, elegant curves. It was the result of a new method Thonet developed to successfully steam and bend beechwood after years of experiments.
The light, comfortable and affordable chair is seen as an accomplishment of both artistry and technology. It could be disassembled and reassembled for the convenience of mass production and transportation.
After its launch in 1859, it became one of the best-selling chairs in the world in the decades that followed. It was widely used in coffee houses and restaurants. It was also depicted in French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's world famous painting At the Moulin Rouge. Luminaries including Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso also sat on those chairs in file photos.
Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier was one of those who spoke highly of No. 14, saying that there "never was a better and more elegant design, and a more precisely crafted and practical item created".
