DOI issue:
No. 227 (February 1912)
DOI article:Levetus, A. S.: Arts and crafts at the Austrian museum for art and industry, Vienna
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21156#0051
Arts and Crafts at the Austrian Museum, Vienna
JEWEL-CASE IN SILVER AND PRECIOUS STONES. DESIGNED BY KARL RIEDEL,
EXECUTED BY KARL MOTTL
which he has since developed to so high a degree.
Moreover, being a keen observer, he was struck
with the advance made in the British Arts and
Crafts during the comparatively short space of
eleven years. Rightly judging that what could be
done in Britain could also be achieved in his
own country, Austria, the Arch-
duke wrote to his cousin, the
Emperor Francis Joseph, and at
the same time to Rudolf von
Eitelberger, then Professor of the
History of Art, urging both Kaiser
and professor to interest them-
selves in the arts and crafts of
Austria. The Emperor, who has
always taken an active interest in
art, was not long in coming to the
conclusion that a museum for art
and industry was as necessary for
the welfare of the applied arts in
Austria as the South Kensington
Museum for England. He there-
fore wrote an autograph letter to
Professor von Eitelberger com-
manding him to take the steps
necessary for the founding of a
Museum for Art and Industry in
Vienna, and entrusted the planning
and building of the museum to
Heinrich von Ferstel, the architect
of so many fine edifices in the
■city, including the Votive Church
and the University. The final
stone was laid by the Emperor in
May 1871. But that no time
should be lost in the matter
periodical exhibitions were
held in the old “ Ballhaus.”
From the moment of its in-
ception Archduke Rainer
became Protector of the
institute, and held this office
till 1897, when he retired,
though he has since that
time never failed to visit
the exhibitions held at the
museum.
The founding of the Im-
perial Austrian Museum for
Art and Industry was eagerly
welcomed by a small but
far-seeing circle of manu-
facturers, men of high cul-
ture who were at one in their
desire to revive the almost lost handicrafts, which
had been stifled for want of interest on the part of
the purchasing public. But at that time there were
no arts-and-craftsmen to design and execute works
of applied art, and to overcome this difficulty the
Imperial Arts and Crafts School was founded.
WALNUT SIDEBOARD AND [CABINET. DESIGNED BY KARL WITZMANN,
EXECUTED BY LEOPOLD SPITZER
31
JEWEL-CASE IN SILVER AND PRECIOUS STONES. DESIGNED BY KARL RIEDEL,
EXECUTED BY KARL MOTTL
which he has since developed to so high a degree.
Moreover, being a keen observer, he was struck
with the advance made in the British Arts and
Crafts during the comparatively short space of
eleven years. Rightly judging that what could be
done in Britain could also be achieved in his
own country, Austria, the Arch-
duke wrote to his cousin, the
Emperor Francis Joseph, and at
the same time to Rudolf von
Eitelberger, then Professor of the
History of Art, urging both Kaiser
and professor to interest them-
selves in the arts and crafts of
Austria. The Emperor, who has
always taken an active interest in
art, was not long in coming to the
conclusion that a museum for art
and industry was as necessary for
the welfare of the applied arts in
Austria as the South Kensington
Museum for England. He there-
fore wrote an autograph letter to
Professor von Eitelberger com-
manding him to take the steps
necessary for the founding of a
Museum for Art and Industry in
Vienna, and entrusted the planning
and building of the museum to
Heinrich von Ferstel, the architect
of so many fine edifices in the
■city, including the Votive Church
and the University. The final
stone was laid by the Emperor in
May 1871. But that no time
should be lost in the matter
periodical exhibitions were
held in the old “ Ballhaus.”
From the moment of its in-
ception Archduke Rainer
became Protector of the
institute, and held this office
till 1897, when he retired,
though he has since that
time never failed to visit
the exhibitions held at the
museum.
The founding of the Im-
perial Austrian Museum for
Art and Industry was eagerly
welcomed by a small but
far-seeing circle of manu-
facturers, men of high cul-
ture who were at one in their
desire to revive the almost lost handicrafts, which
had been stifled for want of interest on the part of
the purchasing public. But at that time there were
no arts-and-craftsmen to design and execute works
of applied art, and to overcome this difficulty the
Imperial Arts and Crafts School was founded.
WALNUT SIDEBOARD AND [CABINET. DESIGNED BY KARL WITZMANN,
EXECUTED BY LEOPOLD SPITZER
31