Thonet - Adolf Loos - Armchair (6) - Café Capua - Beech, Leather

Adolf Loos Café Capua Armchairs by Thonet, c. 1900–1910

These Café Capua armchairs, designed by the renowned Austrian architect Adolf Loos and produced by Thonet between 1900 and 1910, are a striking example of early modernist design emerging from Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. Created specifically for the elegant Café Capua, these chairs reflect Loos’s radical approach to design—eschewing ornamentation in favor of pure form, utility, and refined proportions.

Loos believed that well-designed furniture should serve its function gracefully without superfluous decoration, and these armchairs embody that philosophy with their clean, honest lines and thoughtful construction. The chairs have been expertly refinished with a traditional politur, a shellac-based hand-polishing technique that enhances the warm tone and grain of the wood, revealing its natural character. The seats have been reupholstered in a soft off-white leather, providing a fresh yet timeless contrast to the rich woodwork while remaining true to Loos's minimalist aesthetic.

Whether placed in a period interior or a more contemporary setting, these armchairs offer both visual clarity and comfort. They are ideal for collectors, design enthusiasts, or anyone with an appreciation for the restrained elegance of early 20th-century Viennese furniture. These pieces not only represent a key moment in design history but also remain highly functional and relevant over a century later.

Literature: Thonet Katalog, Wien 1911, p. 85; Ottillinger, Adolf Loos, p. 131.