As a jewelry maker and sculptor, developing a molded wire frame chair was a natural progression for Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia. The Bird chair exemplifies Bertoia’s interest in space, form, and the characteristics of metal. Like many other molded lounge chairs of the era, the Bird chair was a departure from pre-war furniture with its extreme comfort and ergonomic shape. Bertoia’s signature wire mesh frame gave the Bird chair a light and airy quality.
The Bird Lounge and Ottoman are not on view in the exhibition as they are part of the Historic Home Tour.