Mexico
circa 1945

Dining table with six chairs, of painted pine with woven fiber cord. The table top features an open central section surrounded by fiber cord, under a glass panel. The chairs fit tightly within the frame of the table. Designed by Michael van Beuren for his Domus company and produced in Mexico, circa 1945. Born in New York City, Van Beuren (1911-2004) studied at the Bauhaus in the early 1930s, settling in Mexico in 1937. He teamed with fellow Bauhaus student Klaus Grabe to design a now-iconic chaise for MoMA's 1941 Organic Design competition. An architect by training but not by degree, he turned to furniture design, creating low-cost and high-design furnishings for the progressive element of Mexico's emerging middle class. In the process, he helped kick-start modernist furniture design in Mexico. The influential and successful Domus company existed from the late 1930s until circa 1950, when it morphed into another concern. Van Beuren was the subject of a 2010 solo exhibition at Mexico City's Museo Franz Meyer. The present set is a rare example of Van Beuren's work from the mid-1940s, from the estate of the original owner. Labeled. Ref: Bauhaus and Modern Mexico: Design by Van Beuren (2014). Measurements are of the table alone. Price is for the entire set.

Condition
Good original condition with some losses to the painted surfaces and several breaks to the fiber cord, consistent with age and use.  

Measurements
Height: 29.5 in.
Width/Length: 4 ft. 10.5 in.
Depth: 31.5 in.

Specifications
Number of items:  7
Materials/technique:  Painted pine and woven fiber cord

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