Gerrit Rietveld

About

Architect and furniture designer famous for his Red and Blue Chair, an example of the De Stijl artistic movement. The Rietveld Schröder House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Before Fame

He opened a furniture shop in 1917 and later set up a business as a cabinetmaker. He joined the De Stijl movement in 1919.

Trivia

He began the design of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, but died before its completion.

Family Life

His father was a carpenter, with whom he began apprenticing when he was 11. His Rietveld Schröder House, a collaboration with Truus Schröder-Schräder, had a powerful impact on Han Schröder, Truus' daughter; she became one of Netherlands' pioneering female architects.

Associated With

He was invited by architect Walter Gropius to exhibit his work at the Bauhaus.