vc-23-56
Josef Hoffmann

Vienna, c. 1913

made by Wiener Werkstaette
stamped/signed: JH Wiener Werkstaette

Josef Hoffmann was the principal founder of the Wiener Werkstaette (Vienna Workshop) in 1903. The manifesto stated: “Our guiding principal is function, ...and our strength must lie in good proportions and the proper treatment of material.” The purified spirit sought by the Vienna reformers- the beauty of pure shapes, surfaces, and materials- appealed to the upper classes, intellectuals, and individuals with a taste for the avant-garde. Within a short time, the Wiener Werkstaette expanded rapidly to accommodate ambitious architectural commissions, including all the elements for furnished interiors.

The early Art Deco design of this brass lamp reflects the influence of the young and talented Dagobert Peche, who alongside Hoffmann, was the most influential figure at the Wiener Werkstaette from 1915 up to his death in 1923.

Height: 16”

Lit: Christian Brandstaetter, Wiener Werkstaette, Design in Vienna, 1903-1932, p. 288