Gerrit Rietveld Jr. (Utrecht, 1920 – 1961) was a Dutch furniture maker, furniture designer and interior designer, and the third son of the famous architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld. After primary school he was trained as a furniture maker by Gerard van de Groenekan, who had taken over his father's furniture workshop in 1923. During this period he played a significant role in the production of the furniture designed by his father.
After three and a half years Rietveld Jr. left the workshop of Van de Groenekan and worked for various companies in the furniture industry, including shortly after the Second World War at the piano factory Rippen, where he was responsible for the conversion and cabinets of pianos. However, he had difficulty staying with the same employer for a long time and made several attempts to start as an independent furniture maker. During these periods he developed his own ideas and experimented with new forms and constructions.
In 1957, Rietveld Jr. was in charge of the new Utrecht exhibition space De Jacobitoren. His designs were appreciated for their simplicity and functionality. In 1991, his work, together with that of his sister Bep and his brothers Wim and Jan, was exhibited during the exhibition "Vier keer Rietveld" in De Zonnehof. Some of his furniture pieces are part of the collection of the Centraal Museum in Utrecht.
Despite his contributions to the Dutch furniture design world, there is relatively little documentation of his work, partly due to the experimental nature and the limited editions of his designs. His pieces rarely appear on the market, and when they do, they are often provided with the correct provenance and an authentic condition report.
Gerrit Rietveld Jr. died in 1961 at the age of 41. His legacy offers insight into the influence of the Rietveld family on Dutch furniture design and reflects a dedication to craftsmanship and innovation.
