Gerrit Rietveld

Rietveld, born in Utrecht, Netherlands, was not exactly a man of letters, or even of much formal education beyond his father's carpentry workshop. He was, however, a man of angles, primary colors, and a severe dedication to the principles of De Stijl. His work screamed 'less is more' so loudly, it practically hushed every other piece of furniture in the room. He didn't just build houses; he constructed manifestos you could live in. And sit on, if you dared try his chairs.

His Red and Blue Chair is less a comfortable place to rest your posterior and more a three-dimensional abstract painting. It’s the kind of furniture that makes you appreciate minimalism, mostly because you wouldn't want to add anything else to a room containing it. The Rietveld Schröder House, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is equally uncompromising, a vision of pure architectural theory brought to life, complete with sliding walls and an absolute dearth of soft edges.

So, was Gerrit Rietveld Jewish? Unless 'De Stijl' is a long-lost Yiddish term for geometric abstraction, the answer is a resounding 'nee'. His work was about universal harmony through mathematical precision and primary hues, not ancient traditions or bagel brunches. He was Dutch, through and through, and his heritage was as straight-laced and angular as his designs. Sorry to disappoint those hoping for a hidden menorah in the Schröder House.