Secessionist Mirror with Display Case Components from Wiener Werkstätte, 1901

Details

Description

Object: secessionist mirror with glass-fronted display cabinet (likely designed as an entryway piece)
design/execution: unknown designer / unknown wiener werkstätte … Read more Object: secessionist mirror with glass-fronted display cabinet (likely designed as an entryway piece)
design/execution: unknown designer / unknown wiener werkstätte (circa 1901)
dimensions in cm (h x w x d): 187 × 120 × 31
material: softwood frame, mahogany veneer (rosewood stained and hand-polished with shellac), cut glass, brass
condition: currently undergoing professional restoration (mirror glass shows signs of age-related wear)
provenance: private collection, vienna
literature: das interieur, volume i, 1900, p. 14

additional information:

this delicate piece of art furniture was created around 1901 within the circle of the vienna secession. The unknown designer employed a combination of strictly structured construction and decorative brass appliqués that was characteristic of the period. The floral relief fittings and the ornamentally designed crowning element of the mirror, in particular, are closely related to the design language that became increasingly prevalent in viennese decorative arts around the turn of the century. Designers from josef hoffmann's circle of students also made use of floral brass ornamentation around 1900, as evidenced by a design by hans vollmer (see das interieur i, 1900, p. 14).

the architecturally structured silhouette with its side cabinets, centrally positioned mirror, and vertically divided glazing points to the early aspirations for a modern furniture design that broke free from historical stylistic references. The decorative elements are limited to select areas and underscore the constructive structure of the piece.

a high-quality example of early viennese art nouveau and the secessionist movement, documenting the development of viennese furniture design immediately before the founding of the wiener werkstätte.

for logistical reasons, the images have been digitally enhanced, which may result in slight alterations. The original photos can be provided upon request. See less