DOI article:
Wójcik, Agata: The Society for Polish Applied Art versus the Vienna Workshops - an attempt at comparison: stylistic analogies in furniture an interior design
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51757#0138
136
AGATA WÓJCIK
9. Karol Frycz, Lady’s room in suburbian mansion,
The exhibition “Architecture and Interiors
in Garden Settings”, 1912.
Courtesy of the Jagiellonian University Museum
10. Otto Prutscher, Boudoir, c. 1911,
“Die Kunst”, 1911, vol. 14, p. 219
intentionally disturbed proportions are common. Stout seats and the backrests of the bergère and of the
armchair were contrasted with small legs. The legs of the table and of the jardiniere are slender and narrow
downwards; additionally, they were contrasted with strong apron. The motif connecting all the furniture
pieces is a volute often combined with a decoration in the form of a curled twig or two overlapping
twigs. The decorative element also includes the upholstery fabric in floral patterns. The decorativeness
of the furniture is emphasized by the arrangement of the room. The boudoir is full of fabrics, ceramics,
lamps, candlesticks, as well as cut flowers and pot plants.
Frycz’s sources of inspiration can be found in the history of furniture making. However, the designer
was as far from literal as possible and was able to juggle influences with great skill. The form of the
chairs resembles Chippendale chairs. Other seats - a bergère, a sofa, a wing armchair - are variations
on the Biedermeier furniture. Frycz broke stable, stubby Biedermeier shapes with soft lines of ornaments
and cabriole legs. It can be assumed that the delicate legs of the table and the jardiniere are inspired by
Louis Philippe furniture.
Frycz’s furniture can be compared with Otto Prutscher’s boudoir (Fig. 9, 10). The Viennese designer
experimented with Louis XV furniture forms. He highlighted the curves and flexible lines of furniture
pieces and juxtaposed this with the upholstery made of flowery fabric. The whole interior is designed
as a lounge filled with small furniture - tables, chairs, sofa, cupboard, mirrors, paintings, candlesticks,
creating the atmosphere of a feminine neo-rococo living room.47 Equally close to Frycz’s lady’s room is
Dagobert Peche’s boudoir (1913), which is a variation on historical styles - on Rococo and Biedermeier
styles. Peche used elements drawn from ancient art and stylized them. He contrasted elements of soft and
rigid shapes, as exemplified by chairs with rectangular backs, but with cabriole and grooved legs, just as
Frycz did. The black lacquered furniture was contrasted by the Viennese artist with gilded decorations
inspired by baroque ornamentation. Peche loved to use decorativeness of fabrics - the sofa, armchairs
and seats of the chairs are upholstered with quilted fabric48.
Features present in the projects of Viennese artists from around 1910 can also be observed in at least
two interior and furniture designs by Henryk Uziemblo. In 1912, the artist designed the interior of one
of the first cinemas in Krakow called “Uciecha”. In the waiting room, whose walls were covered with
pink polychrome, there were sofas, chairs and stools painted white. The furniture pieces had a simple
yet sophisticated form subtly referring to the old styles. Stable, wide seats and backrests were covered
with upholstery; the lightness of the furniture was achieved by the cabriole legs decorated with palmettes,
volutes placed on the ends of the handrails and truss handrails. Uziemblo’s designs were clearly inspired by
47 “Die Kunst”, 14, 1911, p. 219.
48 Ch. Witt-Dörring, Beyond Utility. Furniture and Interior Design, [in:] Dagobert Peche..., p. 100.
AGATA WÓJCIK
9. Karol Frycz, Lady’s room in suburbian mansion,
The exhibition “Architecture and Interiors
in Garden Settings”, 1912.
Courtesy of the Jagiellonian University Museum
10. Otto Prutscher, Boudoir, c. 1911,
“Die Kunst”, 1911, vol. 14, p. 219
intentionally disturbed proportions are common. Stout seats and the backrests of the bergère and of the
armchair were contrasted with small legs. The legs of the table and of the jardiniere are slender and narrow
downwards; additionally, they were contrasted with strong apron. The motif connecting all the furniture
pieces is a volute often combined with a decoration in the form of a curled twig or two overlapping
twigs. The decorative element also includes the upholstery fabric in floral patterns. The decorativeness
of the furniture is emphasized by the arrangement of the room. The boudoir is full of fabrics, ceramics,
lamps, candlesticks, as well as cut flowers and pot plants.
Frycz’s sources of inspiration can be found in the history of furniture making. However, the designer
was as far from literal as possible and was able to juggle influences with great skill. The form of the
chairs resembles Chippendale chairs. Other seats - a bergère, a sofa, a wing armchair - are variations
on the Biedermeier furniture. Frycz broke stable, stubby Biedermeier shapes with soft lines of ornaments
and cabriole legs. It can be assumed that the delicate legs of the table and the jardiniere are inspired by
Louis Philippe furniture.
Frycz’s furniture can be compared with Otto Prutscher’s boudoir (Fig. 9, 10). The Viennese designer
experimented with Louis XV furniture forms. He highlighted the curves and flexible lines of furniture
pieces and juxtaposed this with the upholstery made of flowery fabric. The whole interior is designed
as a lounge filled with small furniture - tables, chairs, sofa, cupboard, mirrors, paintings, candlesticks,
creating the atmosphere of a feminine neo-rococo living room.47 Equally close to Frycz’s lady’s room is
Dagobert Peche’s boudoir (1913), which is a variation on historical styles - on Rococo and Biedermeier
styles. Peche used elements drawn from ancient art and stylized them. He contrasted elements of soft and
rigid shapes, as exemplified by chairs with rectangular backs, but with cabriole and grooved legs, just as
Frycz did. The black lacquered furniture was contrasted by the Viennese artist with gilded decorations
inspired by baroque ornamentation. Peche loved to use decorativeness of fabrics - the sofa, armchairs
and seats of the chairs are upholstered with quilted fabric48.
Features present in the projects of Viennese artists from around 1910 can also be observed in at least
two interior and furniture designs by Henryk Uziemblo. In 1912, the artist designed the interior of one
of the first cinemas in Krakow called “Uciecha”. In the waiting room, whose walls were covered with
pink polychrome, there were sofas, chairs and stools painted white. The furniture pieces had a simple
yet sophisticated form subtly referring to the old styles. Stable, wide seats and backrests were covered
with upholstery; the lightness of the furniture was achieved by the cabriole legs decorated with palmettes,
volutes placed on the ends of the handrails and truss handrails. Uziemblo’s designs were clearly inspired by
47 “Die Kunst”, 14, 1911, p. 219.
48 Ch. Witt-Dörring, Beyond Utility. Furniture and Interior Design, [in:] Dagobert Peche..., p. 100.