Rietveld, Gerrit Thomas

Rietveld, Gerrit Thomas gĕrĭtˈ tōˈməs rētˈfĕlt [key], 1888–1965, Dutch architect and furniture designer. At first a cabinetmaker, Rietveld created (c.1917) a chair that was an important contribution to modern furniture design. Moving away from the established heavy, closed furniture style, he emphasized a dematerialized effect. From 1919 to 1931 he was a member of the Stijl movement, during which time he turned to architecture. His best-known building is the Schröder House, Utrecht (1924), in which he created an impression of weightlessness and equilibrium that are clearly related to Mondrian's painting style.

See studies by T. Brown (1958) and A. Buffinga (tr. 1971).

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