It's hard to make headway on task chairs, particularly when there are so many so often. It makes one wonder if there's really anything new under the sun (and behind the back). But then the human spine is a sublimely mysterious creature, ever prone to surprising contortions and mischievously serpentine dysfunction.

Iconic designer Jean-Marie Massaud is one man who's not afraid to fight the good fight against the disabling pull of gravity, which, coupled with the prevalence of our monitor-bound lifestyle, is leaving many of us crumpled like an old autumn leaf. Massaud has teamed with manufacturer Arper for an addition to the Aston line of seating. Each offering in this collection is named for a different year, and Aston 1918 has the distinction of sharing its epoch with the first electrically-propelled warship, the first state ratification of the eighth amendment (prohibition), and the granting to women of the right to vote.

Aston 1918. Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Arper.

Those are weightier matters than Arper's 1918 has on its mind-depending on the size of your derriere, of course, for which this contract/task/lounge chair will provide ample support. Aston 1918 is a swivel chair with a choice of three bases (four star, five self-braking castors, or cantilevered steel). The seat back is a polyurethane shell offered in three different heights and covered in your choice of leather or fabric. 1918's ergonomic chops are owed to Arper's patented synchro seat/back-integration mechanism. The feature enables seat and back to move as one-thus satisfying the physiological truths of human motion, even when seated.

Aston 2007. Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Arper.

Aston 2006. Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Arper.

Aston 1912.Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Arper.

Aston 1918 belongs squarely within Arper's great tradition of lounge-cum-task chairs like the iconic Catifa 53, the handsomely updated Catifa 60, and the entire Aston line for that matter. Massaud's contribution to this enviable lineage is certainly worth an eventful year's investment.