Joaquim Tenreiro

18 October - 17 November 2023

Considered the founding father of the Brazilian modernist movement, Joaquim Tenreiro is one of the greatest furniture designers in Brazil. His creative work shows a perfect balance between modernism and traditional values as he is also a forerunner in the use of rediscovered raw and local materials.
Born in Portugal in 1906, Joaquim Tenreiro moved to Brazil in 1928 and started working as a furniture designer for traditional manufacturers that imitated conventional European furniture.

In the early 1940s he founded his own workshop, Langenbach and Tenreiro Ltd, Langenbach and Tenreiro became Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos in the 1950s , when his work started to gain recognition and that he began to be acknowledged as a master furniture designer in Brazil, His innovative design philosophy was embraced enthusiastically by architects who supported modernism.

Tenreiro began a steady collaboration with Oscar Niemeyer, designing linear and essential furniture for new contemporary homes. The first modern piece of furniture designed for Niemeyer dates from 1942 and was made for a home in Cataguazes, in the state of Minas Gerais. Throughout his career he continued designing mainly tailor-made furniture for important private homes, offices and official buildings.

In 1967 Tenreiro decided to close his furniture studio and focus exclusively on fine art. He died in 1992, leaving behind an important legacy of designs defined by his elegance, personal style and innovation.
Sideboard, ca. 1960

Wood

85 x 336 x 50 cm - 33 1/2 x 132 1/4 x 19 3/4 in

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This outstanding sideboard impresses by its dimensions and its skillful conception. The massive rectangular cabinet is carried by two delicate rectangular supports. With “lightness” as the key word of his production, Joaquim Tenreiro managed to create a remarkable piece that defies our understanding of gravity.

The quality of the veneer is also remarkable. It presents a dark, strongly veined and very expressive rosewood. The grain was intelligently placed vertically, as if to counterbalance the exceptional width of the piece.

Created in the 1960s as a private order from the designer, this sideboard is a unique piece that was first intended to be mounted directly on the wall. The two feet were added at a later stage.
Bloch Desk, 1965

Massive and veneer wood

77 x 146 x 70 cm - 30 1/4 x 57 1/2 x 27 1/2 in

Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis E Decorações

Inaugurated in 1965, the Manchete building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Most of the furniture of this iconic building was designed by his longtime friend and design master Joaquim Tenreiro.
This rosewood desk is the first edition produced by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes for the Manchete offices.

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Dining table, ca. 1960

Rosewood and glass

75 x 183 cm - 29 1/2 x 72 in

Manufactured by Langenbach & Tenreiro

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The Giz de Alfaiate dining table with a set if nine dining chairs in a store in Rua Marquês de Itu, Sao Paulo..

Designed around 1960, this iconic dining table is a true manifestation of Joaquim Tenreiro’s exceptional craftsmanship. Entirely curved with no hard corners, this table in Jacaranda presents smooth continuous lines and a brilliant glass top. The combination of natural and industrial material is perfectly mastered and exemplify the characteristics of mid-century Brazilian furniture.

While rectangular tables were most common, Tenreiro decided to stand out and create a triangular top that gave it a more modern and dynamic appearance. Attentive to all the details, Tenreiro added elliptical legs that gracefully complete the design.
The nickname “Giz de Alfaiate” or “Tailor’s chalk” in English was given to this table due to its triangular shape.
H Coffee Table , ca. 1960

Rosewood, marble

34 x 110 x 70 cm- 13 3/8 x 43 1/4 x 27 1/2 in

Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoracoes

The H coffee table designed around 1960 owes its name to the shape of its feet. Free from any excessive ornamentation, the table is reduced to its essential elements. Its originality lies in the dialogue between the cold marble and the tropical wood. Tenreiro’s work is characterized by the use of materials suitable for the Brazilian climate.

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Rare pair of armchairs, c. 1960

Rosewood, gray fabric

75 x 67 x 81 cm - 29 1/2 x 26 3/8 x 31 7/8 in

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Exquisitely crafted, this pair of armchairs illustrates Tenreiro’s timeless design that combines simplicity and elegance. Abandoning the rigid profiles and sharp edges of European modernism, he used organic forms and curved lines that can adapt to the human body.

Unlike the heavy furniture that was made at that time, Joaquim Tenreiro was concerned with creating light and ergonomic pieces. He believed that Brazilian furniture had to be ‘formally light … a lightness which has nothing to do with weight itself, but with graciousness and the functionality of spaces.’
Pair of "concha" armchairs , ca. 1960

Solid wood, blue velvet

73 x 84 x 73 cm - 28 1/2 x 33 1/2 x 28 1/2 in

Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos

Tenreiro was particularly attentive to the dimensions and proportions of his designs to ensure a great comfort. Elegant and comfortable, those « concha » armchairs, upholstered in a deep blue velvet, present original aesthetics and harmonious volumes.

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Rare coffee table, ca. 1950

Solid caviuna, original glass top

25 x 160 x 65 cm - 10 x 63 x 25 1/2 in

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This rare coffee table is a perfect example of Tenreiro’s modern furniture marked by the sobriety of the designs and the refinement of the form. Favoring artisanal work, Tenreiro’s pieces of furniture were essentially produced in small amounts and generally made to measure for his customer
Rocking Chair, 1948

Wood and cane

94 x 68 x 96 cm - 37 1/8 x 26 3/4 x 37 3/4 in

Manufactured by Langbach & Tenreiro

Tenreiro always favored the use of tropical hardwoods and materials that could adapt to the exotic temperatures of Brazil. The light structure and the combination of rosewood and woven cane of this chair illustrate the skilled craftsmanship of the designer.

The rocking chair has a light and luminous appearance, contrasting with the solid and sober furniture, previously created for the firm Laubisch & Hirth.

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Cadeira de Três Pés (Three legs Chair), 1947

Laminated and lacquered hardwoods

57 x 71 x 69 cm - 22 1/2 x 28 x 27 1/8 in

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The Three-legged Chair is one of the most recognizable designs by Joaquim Tenreiro and the symbol of the high quality of his craftsmanship. Tenreiro’s great knowledge of the nature of wood and its technical possibilities allowed him to select the highest quality of five Brazilian hardwoods that he combined in this chair to create a truly dynamic effect.
The frame made of different blades of wood strips (rosewood, "roxinho", ivory, imbuya and mahogany), which creates a refined chromatic game; with turned hardwood feet fixed on the seat using the technique of fitting.
Oval Coffee Table from solid "trunk" furniture series, 1955

Top in Pau Amarelo wood & rosewood feet

26 x 171 x 88.8 cm - 10 1/4 x 67 3/8 x 35 in

Manufactured by Langbach & Tenreiro

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This remarkable and unique coffee table was created as part of his Tronco (or Trunk ) furniture series. An emblematic work of the designer, this table perfectly illustrated Tenreiro’s spirit. The powerful and sculptural table top in tropical wood highlights the strong Brazilian identity and traditional values that Tenreiro brilliantly combined with modern aesthetics.