The International Style, a modernist movement within architecture and furniture design that was given its name by American architect Philip Johnson and historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock, was born during the 1920s and ’30s. It gained steam initially in Europe and then in the United States as a response to the first World War. Building projects associated with the movement, as well as vintage International Style chairs, tables and other furnishings, are minimal and pared back.
Pioneers of the International Style — architect Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus colleagues Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, De Stijl advocate and Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud and visionary designer Le Corbusier — stripped away decorative elements and placed considerable value on functionality and clean lines, integrating the use of industrial materials like steel, concrete and large sheets of glass in their work. Quite aptly, this mode of design and architectural style coincided with an era now known as the Machine Age and became a global symbol of modernism. The primary motive of its practitioners was to address the changing needs of a rapidly industrializing society, especially the demand for office complexes and apartments in large cities, through economical, technologically advanced, yet aesthetically pleasing designs for furniture and buildings.
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,” said Le Corbusier of the philosophy behind his practical modernist architecture.
The International Style’s designers and architects were inspired by the advantages afforded them by the era’s new technology and industrial machinery as well as state-of-the-art materials. Le Corbusier was fond of framing his buildings in steel but reinforced concrete made far more economic sense. He is probably most admired for the iconic private homes and commercial buildings that he designed or codesigned with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, which are spread across the world, from New York City to Paris to Chandigarh, India. Today, Breuer’s Wassily Lounge chair; the elegant LC series created by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand; and Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich, are emblems of progressive modernist design and all make prominent use of tubular steel. Vintage originals are the prized cornerstone of collections.
“The International Style is probably the first fundamentally original and widely distributed style since the Gothic,” posited Johnson in the book that accompanied “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition,” an architectural show he cocurated with Hitchcock that featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra and others. While the term “International Style” had previously been circulating in Europe, when the show opened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1932, it yielded a much broader application of this important style of design.
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Antique Rugs Striped Runner, Handmade Carpet Runners, Shirvan Oriental Rug
Located in Wembley, GB
Handmade carpet oriental rug born out of nomadic traditional rugs, this antique striped rug from Shirvan features a spectacular array of modular stripes and classical border motifs t...
Wool, Organic Material
$4,400Sale Price|20% Off
Zabihi Collection Red Antique Shirvan Rug
Located in New York, NY
A geometric tribal looking Caucasian shirvan rug from the early part of the 20th century. 3'6'' x 5'6'' Antique Caucasian rugs from the Shirvan district village are still considere...
Wool
Beautiful Antique Caucasian Shirvan Perepedil Rug
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Nice late 19th century Shirvan rug with a Perepedil design and natural colors with green, blue and orange, entirely hand knotted with wool velvet on wool foundation.
Wool
19th Century Antique Caucasian Shirvan Rug
Located in New York, NY
19th Century Tribal Caucasian Shirvan rug Measures: 3' x 5'4” Antique Caucasian rugs from the Shirvan district village are still considered one of the best decorative and colle...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Caucasian Antique Shirvan Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th century finely woven, jewel toned antique Shirvan rug from the Caucasus. 3'4'' x 5'2''
Wool
Distressed Antique Caucasian Shirvan Boteh Carpet Runner, Hallway Runner
Located in Dallas, TX
76609, distressed antique Caucasian Shirvan Boteh carpet runner. With its perfectly worn-in charm and edgy elements, this antique Caucasian Shirvan runner will create a warm, lived-in look and take on a curated look that feels timeless while creating a modern rustic design aesthetic. The hand-knotted wool antique Shirvan carpet...
Wool
Antique Caucasian Shirvan Boteh Runner with Tribal Style, Hallway Runner
Located in Dallas, TX
73231 Antique Caucasian Shirvan Rug Runner, 03'03 x 11'00. Caucasian Shirvan carpet runners originate from the Shirvan region nestled in the Caucasus Mountains, renowned for their vi...
Wool
$1,798Sale Price|20% Off
W 53.15 in L 88.59 in
Djoharian Collection Antique Caucasian Kazak Cherlabend Design Rug
Located in Lohr, Bavaria, DE
Djoharian Collection Antique Caucasian Kazak Cherlabend Design Rug Beautiful rug with traditional Caucasian design. THIS BEAUTIFUL MEDIUM SIZE RUG WAS KNOTTED USING FINE WOOL AND NA...
Wool
Late 19th Century Persian Shirvan Rug
Located in Chicago, IL
A striking and memorable late 19th century Persian Shirvan rug with the most wonderful field with repeated stylized flowers surrounding a central medal...
Wool
Marasali Shirvan Prayer Rug, Late 19th Century
Located in Dublin, NH
Deep Indigo Caucasian Marasali Shirvan Prayer Rug, Late 19th Century Full rounded 'boteh,' painted in colorful stripes of diamonds, shimmer against the deep indigo field of this fin...
Wool
Outstanding Late 19th Century Shirvan Rug
Located in Chicago, IL
An outstanding late 19th century Persian Shirvan rug with three large medallions on an intensely woven field containing myriad stylized flowers, large and small, woven in crimson, go...
Wool
$11,400
W 36 in L 108 in
1850s Blue Tribal Geometric Antique Caucasian Shirvan Carpet 3' x 9' Runner Rug
Located in New York, NY
Mid 19th Century Caucasian Shirvan Carpet ( 3' x 9' - 91 x 274 ) This mid-nineteenth-century tribal geometric antique Caucasian Shirvan hallway runner rug is an exceptional rarity,...
Wool
$3,920Sale Price|20% Off
W 39 in L 145 in
Antique Caucasian Shirvan Runner with Boteh Pattern and Modern Federal Style
Located in Dallas, TX
71046 Antique Caucasian Shirvan Runner with Boteh Pattern and Modern Federal Style. With its clean lines and subtle use of ornament, this hand knotted wool antique Caucasian Shirvan runner beautifully embodies classically refined Federal style. The Caucasian carpet runner...
Wool
$12,000Sale Price|20% Off
W 56.5 in L 192 in
Handwoven Antique Runner Rug, Long Traditional Oriental Wool Rug
Located in Miami, FL
This captivating antique hand-knotted wool runner rug, possibly woven in the late 19th or early 20th century, showcases the enduring artistry of traditional rug-making. The central medallion design in rich rust and blue tones is complemented by delicate floral motifs, offering a touch of timeless elegance. Featuring a standard pile height, this rug provides both comfort and beauty. Constructed using time-honored techniques, such as, hand-spinning the wool and organic dyeing, this piece offers unique characteristics that may appeal to collectors. Measuring 16 feet long and nearly 4 feet 8 1/2 inches wide, this handwoven antique runner rug...
Wool, Cotton, Natural Fiber