Joaquim Tenreiro

Overview
Joaquim Tenreiro

About


Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) was a pioneer in modernist Brazilian furniture making. The artist and furniture designer was born in Portugal and moved to Rio de Janeiro in the late 1920s. Tenreiro refused to indulge in his new country’s parochial tastes and instead challenged his clients to appreciate more contemporary styles. In the early 1940s, he established his studio, and by the 1950s, he was designing furniture for modern architects like Oscar Niemeyer.

A forerunner in the use of rediscovered raw materials as well as the creator of a new formal language in 20th-century Brazilian furniture design, he drew on the lessons of past furniture-making as a vital source, not only in the mastery of technical and constructive solutions but also in the aesthetic experience, craftsmanship, and the cultural meaning of his production. As a result, his exquisitely crafted pieces evoke a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics, firmly bound to the Brazilian cultural milieu.

Works
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Triangular Table with Glass Top, c. 1960
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Triangular Table with Glass Top, c. 1960
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Armchair, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Armchair, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Armchair (6 units), 1950
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Armchair (6 units), 1950
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Armchairs (2 units), 1947-1950
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Armchairs (2 units), 1947-1950
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Desk, 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch Desk, 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Desk, 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch Desk, 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch desk , 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch desk , 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch desk , 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch desk , 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch desk, 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch desk, 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch desk , 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bloch desk , 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bookshelf, c. 1968
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bookshelf, c. 1968
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Bookshelf , 1950
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Bookshelf , 1950
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Canapé Sofa, c. 1960
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Canapé Sofa, c. 1960
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Cane Chair (4 Chairs), c. 1960
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Cane Chair (4 Chairs), c. 1960
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Cane Sofa and Armchairs, c. 1968
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Cane Sofa and Armchairs, c. 1968
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Coffee Table, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Coffee Table, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Armchair, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Armchair, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Armchair (2 units), 1948
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Armchair (2 units), 1948
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Armchair (2 units), 1948
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Armchair (2 units), 1948
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Armchair with stick back, 1961-1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Armchair with stick back, 1961-1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Chair with stick back, 1961-1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Chair with stick back, 1961-1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Chair with stick back, 1961-1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Chair with stick back, 1961-1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Chair with stick back (4 units), 1961-1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Chair with stick back (4 units), 1961-1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Chair with stick back (8 units), 1961-1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Chair with stick back (8 units), 1961-1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Sofa, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Sofa, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Curved Sofa, c. 1950
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Curved Sofa, c. 1950
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Daybed / Single Bed, c. 1962
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Daybed / Single Bed, c. 1962
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Desk , 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Desk , 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chair (12 units), 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chair (12 units), 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chair (8 chairs), 1950s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chair (8 chairs), 1950s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chairs (6 chairs), 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chairs (6 chairs), 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chairs (6 chairs), 1942
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chairs (6 chairs), 1942
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chairs (8 units), 1950s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chairs (8 units), 1950s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Chairs with Sticks Backs (8 units), 1948
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Chairs with Sticks Backs (8 units), 1948
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Table, 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Table, 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dining Table with glass top, 1949
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dining Table with glass top, 1949
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Dresser, 1950s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Dresser, 1950s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, End Tables (2 units - pair) , 1965
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    End Tables (2 units - pair) , 1965
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Estrutural Chair (8 chairs), 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Estrutural Chair (8 chairs), 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Estrutural Coffee Table, c. 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Estrutural Coffee Table, c. 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Estrutural Table
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Estrutural Table
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, L-Shaped Armchair (Pair), c. 1958
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    L-Shaped Armchair (Pair), c. 1958
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Leve Armchair, 1942
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Leve Armchair, 1942
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Leve Armchairs (2 units - pair), 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Leve Armchairs (2 units - pair), 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Manta Solta Armchair (2 units), 1955
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Manta Solta Armchair (2 units), 1955
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Manta Solta Sofa, 1955
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Manta Solta Sofa, 1955
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Partition, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Partition, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Rectangular Dining Table, 1968
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Rectangular Dining Table, 1968
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Rocking Chair, c. 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Rocking Chair, c. 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Rocking Chair, 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Rocking Chair, 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Rocking Chair, 1947
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Rocking Chair, 1947
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood Table with Glass top, 1950s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Rosewood Table with Glass top, 1950s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Sculpture
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Sculpture
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Side Tables (2 units - pair), 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Side Tables (2 units - pair), 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Sofa, 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Sofa, 1960s
  • Joaquim Tenreiro, Sofa , 1960s
    Joaquim Tenreiro
    Sofa , 1960s