Sori Yanagi, Japanese (1915-2011). Iconic Butterfly Stool for Tendo Mokko. Designed in 1954. Purchased in Montreal, 1980s/90s. Bent maple ply, steel hardware. 15 x 16 3/4 x 12 in. Marked / Signed. In excellent original condition, some age appropriate wear to wood, see photos.
The Butterfly Stool makes use of a simple metal connector that harnesses the divergent forces of the two rounded panels by employing the tectonic principles of compression and tension. The use of a traditional veneer-cutting technique ensures that each half of the stool's surface mirrors the grain of the other half. The result: an elegantly simple, soaring design of molded plywood and steel. Simple assembly required. Weight limit: 330lbs. — MOMA, permanent collection.
Sori Yanagi was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1915. Sari was an Industrial designer. He graduated from the Oil Painting Dept. at Tokyo Fine Arts School. He established a foundation known as the Yanagi Design Office in 1953. As a founder of the modern industrial design method after World War II, he created numerous industrial products that were valued as “tools for living”, including furniture. Moreover, he was a powerful advocate for design workshops. His design expertise also extended to automobiles, pedestrian overpasses and the platform for the Olympic flame used at the Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan. His “Butterfly Stool” is famous as the first piece of work for which a Japanese designer received global recognition.
