Born from the Bauhaus

Marcel Breuer's Cesca Chair, created in 1928, is deeply rooted in the design principles and material innovation he developed during his time at the Bauhaus. Embracing rationalist ideals, Breuer sought a mass-production-friendly material that could also yield aesthetically pleasing furniture. Drawing inspiration from the tubular steel structure of his bicycle, he recognized its lightweight, robust, and flexible qualities as ideal for realizing his Modernist vision. Through numerous iterations of bending and welding, Breuer introduced the Wassily Chair and Laccio Table in 1925, followed by the Cesca Chair in 1928.

Breuer described his design vision, aiming for a lightweight and visually transparent form with tensioned fabric and resilient, elastic frames. He embraced polished metal and impeccable lines as symbols of modern technology. The chair, initially called B32, gained global acclaim for its innovative use of materials and minimalist design. It was a game-changer in 20th-century furniture and established Breuer as a seminal figure in the field, according to J. Steward Johnson, Curator at the Museum of Modern Art.