For German furniture design, the turn of the last century was a time of grand exhibitions and leaps of artistic achievement. In 1901 a colony of artists living and working on Darmstadt's Mathildenhöhe presented their latest work in an exhibition entitled "A Document of German Art". One of the exhibits was a whole home, designed by Peter Behrens. The graphic artist, architect and later product designer had conceived every detail of the interiors and furniture. Among the most remarkable creations on display were the graceful diningroom chairs, executed in poplar and painted white. These chairs, along with a bench, were to evolve into a classic furniture series. The chairs (with and without arm rests) have a lightweight structure that features a narrow, ornamental backrest and a seat tapering in from the front. Its appearance seems to give an Art Nouveau twist to the English Windsor chair. There are echoes here of both Henry van de Velde’s Bloemenwerf chair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s high-backed chairs. White, the colour of purity, was the overall colour scheme of the room. For these re f o rmers white meant brightness and hygiene. The seats were originally upholstered in red leather to match the ruby- red feet of a set of drinking glasses, another Behrens creation.