A Modern Decorative Arts + Design Auction curated by Vess Ruhtenberg

Jan Ruhtenberg exhibit ⯍ A Modern Decorative Arts + Design Auction curated by Vess Ruhtenberg

A guest lecturer at Butler University, Ruhtenberg's expertise shines through his contributions to numerous publications centered around his grandfather, the esteemed architect Jan Ruhtenberg.

Drawing inspiration from two decades as a touring musician, Ruhtenberg has cultivated a profound understanding of modernism through his encounters with masterpieces across the world.

Join us as we unveil a collection that reflects Vess Ruhtenberg's delicate aesthetic sense and extensive knowledge, promising an exceptional auction experience.

C O N T A C T VESS RUHTENBERG [email protected]

317-523-9655 with questions Ready to consign in this auction? Start HERE!

Jan Ruhtenberg, Berlin, c. 1930. | COURTESY OF VESSEL RUHTENBERG

Before completing his architecture degree in 1943, Philip Johnson served as the inaugural curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art. His early groundbreaking exhibitions, such as the Modern Architecture: International Exhibition in 1932 and Machine Art in 1934, exemplified his approach of achieving success through collaborative efforts with other talented individuals. Collaborating with Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Alfred H. Barr Jr. on Modern Architecture and with Jan Ruhtenberg on Machine Art, Johnson forged partnerships that were pivotal to the success of these exhibitions.

Jan Ruhtenberg, born in Riga, Latvia, pursued architecture after receiving a scholarship to study at the Berliner Technische Hochschule in 1928. His connection with Johnson began in the early 1930s, leading to a close personal and professional relationship. They traveled together, visited influential architectural sites like the Bauhaus, and shared an apartment in Berlin designed by Ruhtenberg.

Their collaboration extended to projects like Johnson's New York apartment and Johnson's mother's house in North Carolina. Ruhtenberg's contributions to these projects, and especially to the Machine Art exhibition, were significant but often overlooked until recent years. His influence in creating visually impactful installations, inspired by German design concepts, added depth and aesthetic appeal to exhibitions like Machine Art.

Despite Johnson's departure from MoMA in 1934, Ruhtenberg continued his architectural career in New York and later in Colorado. While Ruhtenberg remained relatively obscure during his lifetime, his role in spreading Bauhaus ideas and modern European architecture in North America has gained recognition, culminating in exhibitions like "Jan Ruhtenberg: Come Here Architekt" in 2013, organized by his grandson Vessel Ruhtenberg, aimed at bringing overdue recognition to this talented architect.

a CLOSER look

Jans Grandson, Vess Ruhtenberg

Installation view of Machine Art at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1934. The shining aluminum pots and pans were part of the kitchenwares section, one of the exhibition’s six themes.

Theodate Johnson (Philip’s sister), Ruhtenberg, and Johnson in Potsdam, Germany, 1932.

Courtesy of Philip Dempsey

“House for a young married couple” designed by Carl Otto and Ruhtenberg for the German Building Exposition, Berlin, 1931, from Arts & Decoration, July 1934. Pictured is the dining corner as seen from the livingroom area, with a table by Ruhtenberg surrounded by Brno armchairs by Mies van der Rohe. Ruhtenberg and Otto were awarded a gold medal for the design.

Ruhtenberg’s c. 1937 remodel of this New York town house incorporated furniture by Mies van der Rohe as well as his own furniture designs. Floor-to-ceiling curtains, hung across window walls, were characteristic of Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich’s interiors and were used repeatedly by both Johnson and Ruhtenberg.

The photograph is from Architectural Forum, July 1937.

Apartment designed by Ruhtenberg and shared with Johnson at 22 Achenbachstrasse, Berlin, 1930, illustrated in Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Johnson’s The International Style (1932). The wooden chest and table were of Ruhtenberg’s own design. The tubular steel MR chair and stool were designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Philip Johnson and Alfred H. Barr Jr. at Lake Maggiore, Switzerland, April 1933

As seen in this photograph from Arts & Decoration, January 1935, Johnson used furniture by Mies van der Rohe in his own New York apartments, here the living area of the apartment at 216 East 49th Street, c. 1934