{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O56348"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O56348/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN7063/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN7063/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN7063","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0934","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O56348/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O56348","accessionNumber":"W.8-1992","objectType":"Armchair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Frank Lloyd Wright designed both the building and the interior furnishings for  the headquarters of the Johnson Wax Company in Racine, Wisconsin. Wright believed that it was impossible to detach a building from its furnishings and so designed the office furniture to echo the design of the company's headquarters. The circular form of the chair was created to reflect the treatment of the supportive columns in the main area of the building, the Great Workroom.  \r\n\r\nThe chair is made from cast-aluminium piping, rather than from the tubular steel that was  used extensively by designers such as Marcel Breuer and Mies van der Rohe.\r\n\r\nThe upholstery on the furniture within the building was colour coded to distinguish different operations within the company. The Cherokee red seat on this chair indicates that it was used in the credit department. Green was used for the billing department, blue for the records department, and beige for the sales department.  \r\n\r\nThe chair has only three legs and was designed to promote good posture in the sitter.  If the sitter adopted any other position rather than one with two feet on the ground with weight evenly distributed, the chair would become unstable.","physicalDescription":"Enamelled steel chair with walnut arms, wool and cotton upholstery (rewoven after the original), white plastic feet (later additions)","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Wright, Frank Lloyd","id":"A1419"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Metal Office Furniture Company","id":"A5803"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"},{"text":"wool","id":"x30443"},{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"}],"techniques":[{"text":"enamelling","id":"AAT53773"},{"text":"upholstery","id":"x37978"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelled steel, with walnut arms and wool and cotton upholstery (re-woven after the original); white plastic feet are later additions","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AN7063","2006AD0934"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES386319"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Armchair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Grand Rapids","id":"x34795"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1937-1939","earliest":"1937-01-01","latest":"1939-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.7:1-1992","id":"O56349"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"W.44-1981","id":"O182810"},"association":"Pair"}],"creditLine":"Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of S.C. Johnson Wax, in honour of the Hon. John J. Louis Jnr.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"89.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"59.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"55.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"45","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of seat","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dims taken for M&T Dec 09","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Designed for the headquarters of Johnson Wax Company in Racine, Wisconsin. S.C. Johnson has kept the desks and chairs in continuous use and as a result none have survived without refurbishment. The company refurbished several sets since 1982 for the purpose of loans to exhibitions, and it is believed that this chair is one of these.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Frank Lloyd Wright for the Johnson Wax Building, 1937-39","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Replacement upholstery most likely manufactured by Timme Corporation of Wilmington, North Carolina.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"DESK CHAIR\r\nJohnson Wax Building, Racine, Wisconsin, USA\r\nDesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1937-39\r\nPainted steel, walnut arms, wool and cotton upholstery\r\n(rewoven after the original)\r\nManufactured by Metal Office Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan\r\nW.8-1992\r\nGiven by S C Johnson Wax in honour of the Hon John J Louis Jr, through the American and International Friends of the V&A\r\n\r\nRejecting the arguments of the manufacturer who was afraid that the chair might tip over, Wright insisted that a three-legged chair would ensure that employees sit with correct posture.","date":{"text":"1993","earliest":"1993-01-01","latest":"1993-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.8-1992"],"accessionNumberNum":"8","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1992,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV9277"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2001-03-01","availableToBook":false}}