Details
Mole Chair by Sergio Rodrigues. Another Mole Chair with Foot Stool also available.
Sergio Rodrigues is credited as the father of modern design in Brazil for having introduced a uniquely Brazilian formal vocabulary with the Mole Armchair, so named for its relaxed, comfortable, soft appearance, summarized by the word “mole” in Portuguese. The design originated with a 1957 commission for the photographer Otto Stupakoff, who asked Rodrigues for a “spread-out” sofa for his studio.
The design sat in Rodrigues’ company OCA showroom window on the Praça General Osório in Ipanema for years without many commissions or local interest until the chair was prized and subsequently manufactured in Italy for European consumption. It has become an icon of Brazilian modern design internationally due to winning first prize in the IV Concorso Internazionale del Mobile in Cantu, Italy in 1961, where Arne Jacobsen proclaimed it as communicating the unique characteristics of Brazilian culture. 105 x 120 x 82cm
Brand & Designer
Arne Jacobsen
Color
Brown
Style
Brazilian
Material
Leather
Condition
Good
Dimensions (cm)
105.0W x 102.0D x 82.0H
Design Story
Born in 1927 in Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigues trained as an architect before turning to furniture design during a period when Brazil was developing its own modern cultural identity. While European modernism often favored strict minimalism, Rodrigues introduced a softer and more expressive approach built around comfort, natural materials, and craftsmanship.
His most iconic creation, the Mole Chair, became an international symbol of Brazilian design. Designed in 1957, the chair featured a heavy wooden frame paired with oversized leather cushions suspended by straps, creating a look that felt both luxurious and deeply informal. It challenged the idea that modern furniture needed to be rigid or austere.
Throughout his career, Rodrigues embraced native Brazilian woods and traditional artisanal techniques, helping establish a uniquely Brazilian design language rooted in texture, sensuality, and relaxed living. His furniture often felt architectural yet inviting, balancing sculptural presence with exceptional comfort.
Today, Sergio Rodrigues remains one of the most influential figures in Latin American design history. His work continues to appear in galleries, luxury interiors, and design collections around the world, representing a vision of modernism that feels human, warm, and unmistakably Brazilian.
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