Art Nouveau Secessionistic Armchairs by Josef Hoffmann for Jacob & Josef Kohn, Vienna, 1901, Set of 2

Details

Description

Object: armchair (2 examples available)
design: prof. Josef hoffmann (vienna, 1900)
model number: 413
execution: jacob & josef kohn (vienna, … Read more Object: armchair (2 examples available)
design: prof. Josef hoffmann (vienna, 1900)
model number: 413
execution: jacob & josef kohn (vienna, around 1901) - milling plate: "j & j kohn / wsetin - austria"
dimensions in cm (h x w x d): 98 × 53 × 49
material: beech (bentwood, plywood), brass, fabric ("vineta", joh. Backhausen und söhne, design: ludwig heinrich jungnickel, vienna, 1903)
condition: original condition with traces of use due to age (2 missing brass decorative nails)
provenance: vienna
literature: italian sales catalog of the company j. & j. Kohn , 1906 / jacob & josef kohn, catalog 1904 & 1907, éditions volutes1900, p. 97 / jacob & josef kohn, catalog 1907 / il mobile moderno, gebrüder thonet vienna, jacob & josef kohn, giovanni renzi, 2008, p. 54-55 / decorative fabric, vineta, ludwig heinrich jungnickel, mak inv. No. T 11253 / deutsche kunst und dekoration, vol. 32, 1913, p. 361 / jacob & josef kohn advertisement, in: supplement to no. 19/20, vol. 2, 1905/1906, p. 2


additional information:
we are convinced that the present armchair model (model no. 413) is not a design by koloman moser, as has been generally assumed in the art historical literature, but a work by professor josef hoffmann. Even if a collaboration between the two artists on this model seems conceivable - particularly in view of their close association with the wiener werkstätte - this remains an unsubstantiated assumption.
recently, we have succeeded in finding literary evidence which, in our opinion, makes it possible for the first time to clearly attribute the work to josef hoffmann: a contemporary advertisement by the kohn company explicitly names hoffmann as the designer of this model (as well as the salon cabinet). In our opinion, this find represents the strongest evidence of authorship to date.


the armchairs designed by josef hoffmann in 1900 were produced by the renowned company jacob & josef kohn from 1901 and are part of an important series known for their innovative design and high quality craftsmanship. The armchairs were presented for the first time in 1901 as part of the winter exhibition of the imperial and royal austrian museum of art and industry, together with other furniture from the series. This exhibition marked an important milestone in the history of modern furniture design, as the series reflected the new design zeitgeist with its clear forms and the use of high-quality materials.

in 1902, the furniture was shown at the exhibition in turin, before being presented to an international audience at the world exhibition in saint louis in 1904. A copy of the model is currently on display at the leopold museum in vienna.

until now, the model has been attributed to koloman moser in the literature, mainly on the basis of stylistic comparisons with a similarly executed salon cabinet labeled "c. Moser". However, we do not consider this attribution to be conclusive, as numerous art journals of the time demonstrably provided incorrect or simplified information.


the upholstery fabric "vineta", which was designed by ludwig heinrich jungnickel in 1903 and manufactured by johann backhausen & söhne, also deserves special attention. Jungnickel was a prominent artist of viennese modernism, known for his unusual depictions of animals and innovative textile designs. His works are closely associated with the aesthetic philosophy of koloman moser and the wiener werkstätten. His design for an animal frieze for the palais stoclet in brussels is particularly noteworthy.

the "vineta" fabric, which probably adorned the two armchairs from the 1970s onwards, shows geometric and organic patterns that follow the principles of the vienna secession: harmony, reference to nature and decorative abstraction. Both artists shared a preference for combining natural motifs and abstract forms. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less