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About the Item
Sensational design from the very puristic period of Josef Hoffmann and the Wiener Werkstaette. Literature: Waltraud Neuwirth, Wiener Werkstaette – Avantgarde Art Deco, Industrial Design, 1985 Vienna p. 49.
Material
Solid brass.Creator: Wiener Werksttte (Workshop/Studio),Josef Hoffmann (Designer),Woka Lamps (Maker)Dimensions: Height: 4.34 in (11 cm)Width: 1.58 in (4 cm)Depth: 5.91 in (15 cm)Style: Jugendstil (In the Style Of)Materials and Techniques: Brass,Hand-CraftedPlace of Origin: AustriaPeriod: 2010-Date of Manufacture: 2024Production Type: New Custom(Re-Edition)Estimated Production Time: 13-14 weeksCondition: NewSeller Location: Vienna, ATReference Number: Seller: 213041stDibs: LU1050242073212Shop All Josef Hoffmann
Josef Hoffmann
The Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann was a central figure in the evolution of modern design, and a leader in an aesthetic movement born in Europe in the late 19th century that rejected florid, extravagant ornamentation in favor of a new emphasis on simplicity of line.
As a founder of the Vienna Secession a union of artists and designers determined to upend Austrias artistic conservatism and later, a founder of the turn-of-the-century Wiener Werksttte (in English: the Viennese Workshops), a design cooperative that produced superbly crafted furniture and housewares, Hoffmann was a pioneering practitioner of what would become a fundamental principle of modernism: that good design is a way of life.
Hoffmann came of age amidst a shift in the culture of the applied arts, as a conservative order that looked only to the past for inspiration was pushed aside. But what, exactly, would replace that order was in question and Hoffmanns career embodies the developing patterns of designs new spirit. His architectural work reflects his time as a student of the Vienna architect Otto Wagner, who disdained excessive decoration and employed new materials such as steel girders and reinforced concrete to create buildings with airy, open interiors full of light.
As a designer of furniture and interiors, Hoffmann was consistently open-minded about the aesthetics he explored. He was an early adherent of the flowing, organic forms of the Art Nouveau design movement that began to flourish in the late 1880s but by the opening of the Wiener Werksttte in 1903, Hoffmanns designs embraced the beauty of geometry in pieces that feature grids and angular forms.
Hoffmanns greatest works reflect his ability to combine seemingly conflicting design visions into coherent wholes. His architectural masterpiece, the Stoclet Palace in Brussels, has an exterior that groups together simple geometric forms and spacious interiors marked by subtly naturalistic design details that lend rooms an air of charm and geniality.
Hoffmanns signature furniture design is an adjustable lounge chair the Sitzmaschine (1905) that marries a curving frame with square and rectangular back- and side rests. This piece, like so many others by Hoffmann, reflects a groundbreaking, forward-thinking appreciation for the union of different looks and sources that marks the best of interior design in our own day. Moreover, items offered on 1stDibs which range from enameled silver jewelry, to silver flower vase baskets and other decorative objects, to sofas, lighting pendants and sconces testify to the astonishing breadth of Hoffmans creative pursuits. He was truly a giant of design.
Shop All Wiener Werksttte
Wiener Werksttte
Born from the Vienna Secession art movement in Austria during the early 20th century, the Wiener Werksttte helped to cement Art Nouveau style and culture in Viennese art. Wiener Werksttte furniture included armchairs, cabinets and table lamps, with production extending to other crafts such as ceramics, jewelry and fashion. The Werksttte also boasted a large graphic arts department, which created nearly 1,000 unique postcards during the organizations run.
Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann, painter Koloman Moser and industrialist Fritz Waerndorfer established the collective in opposition to the dominant trends in Viennese art. The artistic community was then largely directed by the Association of Austrian Artists, which had firm control over the creation and distribution of Austrian art. The collectives style pushed back against traditional artistic preferences, instead favoring clear, bold lines and often-exaggerated, vibrant colors.
Employing over 100 people, including several master craftsmen, the Werksttte formed relationships and alliances with a number of firms and stores, which sold and commissioned new work from the workshop.
As the Wiener Werkstttes mission aligned with emerging British sensibilities regarding art, many British artists worked closely with the collective. Some major Austrian artists collaborated with the collective, without officially joining, such as painter Gustav Klimt.
The Werkstttes artistic range was extensive and eclectic, with the organization producing a wide variety of furniture. In 1932, the global economic collapse forced it to shut down. With the outbreak of WWII soon to follow, the Wiener Werksttte never reopened. Its legacy lived on, however, in the numerous artists and craftspeople who carried forward its commitment to progressive cultural and creative endeavors.
On 1stDibs, find antique Wiener Werksttte lighting, seating and storage pieces.
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