George Nelson™ X-Leg Rectangular Top Table from Herman Miller

The captivating curves of George Nelson’s dining table base are produced through swaging—a process that bends and tapers metal through pressure. The chrome-finished steel tube legs are complemented by an x-shaped, solid walnut stretcher, elegantly echoing the rectangular walnut veneer top. The timeless design makes a distinctive dining table or desk. The legs have adjustable glides. Produced by Herman Miller®, a manufacturer in MoMA’s collection. Made in the USA.

Reflecting on his remarkable 50-year career, George Nelson described a series of creative “zaps”—moments of out-of-the-blue inspiration. He also believed that furniture should be “a simple, direct expression of construction with existing techniques.” A 1931 graduate of Yale’s School of Fine Arts, Nelson became an architect after graduate school, when building was at a standstill following the Great Depression and World War II. He held the post of director of the Herman Miller furniture company from 1946 to 1965 and became one of the most influential figures in modern American design. He commissioned work by the Eameses, Alexander Girard, and others who made significant contributions to the field. Six examples of Nelson’s designs are included in MoMA’s collection.