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Human and nature

The Butterfly Stool looks like a butterfly spreading its wings; the upper wings are the area for sitting, and the lower wings are the area for standing. The curve of the stool makes the butterfly look more lively.

Sori Yanagi (1915-2011), the designer of this iconic stool, liked to challenge the possibilities of wood as a medium by engaging with different types and colors to achieve new aesthetic effects and create an emotional impact on the beholder. Wood is a staple for Japanese designers. They have great interest in showing the texture of the raw material, and strive to achieve a sense of harmony between the human body and a piece of furniture. [Lafayette De Mente 2006. p 3-6]

The Butterfly Stool has become an icon of design, representing 20th-century innovations in furniture design. It is included in major collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art New York and the Vitra Museum in Germany. The Vitra Museum sells the miniature of the Butterfly Stool in order to highlight its milestone position in the history of industrial home design.