DOI Heft:
No. 104 (November, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Fred, Alfred W.: The work of Prof. J. M. Olbrich at the Darmstadt artists' colony
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19874#0109
Professor J. M. Olbrich
metrically disposed triangles or squares;
which have an exceedingly quiet effect.
The hall is further brightened by copper
receptacles containing flowers, as well as
by the lighting from the ceiling, which
allows the warm and mellow light to
pass through opaque globes. A peculiarity
in this room, which I consider excellent,
is the placing of the piano. Olbrich is a
live artist, and this characteristic appears
to be indispensable in the modern
architect of interiors, who has not only
to satisfy common requirements, but to
meet the secret, unexpressed, and delicate
desires of highly sensitive men and
women. He has very often observed
how the pleasure of persons listening
to the piano is lessened by looking
at the player. He has consequently
placed his piano on the level of the
first floor, on a projection over the
boarding of the entrance door. If we
are seated below in the hall, we hear
the pure and beautiful sounds come
floating down from above, but do not
see anything of the technical side of the
playing.
On the first floor— it seems as if the room designed by j. m. olbrich
small and narrow stairs cannot as yet be From " Olbrich Architektur" (Berlin: Ernst Wasmuth)
avoided, but to me they appear great
defects in these houses—are the living-room and no doubt, very good. But the form of the furni-
Olbrich's bedroom, as well as a visitor's room, ture, like the ornamentation, is somewhat too stiff,
The colouring of the room, blue and white, is, too straight, too linear. A clever expedient is the
distribution ot the blue
ornamentation on walls,
doors, &c, in such a man-
ner that it covers those
parts which in their fre-
quent use are exposed to
touches by the hand, under
which white, of course,
would have suffered.
The chief colour in the
bedroom, which adjoins,
consists in the yellow tone
of the Sorrentine silk of
the bed hangings.
If Olbrich's own house
must be looked upon as
an example of a dwelling
ot artistic pretensions, only
suitable for a particular
r.CI individuality, the other two
basket designed by j. m. olbrich
executed by boysen houses (Haus Gluckert and
97
metrically disposed triangles or squares;
which have an exceedingly quiet effect.
The hall is further brightened by copper
receptacles containing flowers, as well as
by the lighting from the ceiling, which
allows the warm and mellow light to
pass through opaque globes. A peculiarity
in this room, which I consider excellent,
is the placing of the piano. Olbrich is a
live artist, and this characteristic appears
to be indispensable in the modern
architect of interiors, who has not only
to satisfy common requirements, but to
meet the secret, unexpressed, and delicate
desires of highly sensitive men and
women. He has very often observed
how the pleasure of persons listening
to the piano is lessened by looking
at the player. He has consequently
placed his piano on the level of the
first floor, on a projection over the
boarding of the entrance door. If we
are seated below in the hall, we hear
the pure and beautiful sounds come
floating down from above, but do not
see anything of the technical side of the
playing.
On the first floor— it seems as if the room designed by j. m. olbrich
small and narrow stairs cannot as yet be From " Olbrich Architektur" (Berlin: Ernst Wasmuth)
avoided, but to me they appear great
defects in these houses—are the living-room and no doubt, very good. But the form of the furni-
Olbrich's bedroom, as well as a visitor's room, ture, like the ornamentation, is somewhat too stiff,
The colouring of the room, blue and white, is, too straight, too linear. A clever expedient is the
distribution ot the blue
ornamentation on walls,
doors, &c, in such a man-
ner that it covers those
parts which in their fre-
quent use are exposed to
touches by the hand, under
which white, of course,
would have suffered.
The chief colour in the
bedroom, which adjoins,
consists in the yellow tone
of the Sorrentine silk of
the bed hangings.
If Olbrich's own house
must be looked upon as
an example of a dwelling
ot artistic pretensions, only
suitable for a particular
r.CI individuality, the other two
basket designed by j. m. olbrich
executed by boysen houses (Haus Gluckert and
97