The Imperial Arts and Crafts Schools, Vienna
was no attempt to train them to think
and make use of eye and hand together.
Everything necessary to bring life into
art was systematically avoided: nothing
was done to stimulate the imagination
of the students; the curriculum con-
sisted in drawing and painting from the
flat or cast, or painting on vases which
were bought prepared for the final
touch that was to transform them
into obiets d'art.
Then came the great upheaval in
art, coinciding with the founding of
the Vienna Secession in 1897. At
the winter exhibition at the Austrian
Museum, in 1898, Hofrat von Scala
showed what England was doing in
design for a villa by hollmann (prof. hoffmann's class) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ g^j^
exhibitions thebestwork of othernations
it has given Paris a true revelation concerning as well as England was put on view, and helptd to
many very personal, very original artists; and it forward the cause. Then followed the resignation
only remains to congratulate the promoters of of the Archduke Rainer as Protector of the Austrian
this fine scheme and the generous collectors and Museum, and that of Hofrat von Storch as Director
art lovers who enabled it to be realised. of the Kunstgesverbeschulen, a position which he
Henri Frantz. had held for thirty years. He was succeeded by
Baron Felician von Myrbach in May, 1899.
THE IMPERIAL ARTS AND From that time dates the refjrm.
CRAFTS SCHOOLS, VIENNA. A man of many parts, Baron von Myrbach had
BY A S LEVETUS gained valuable experience in the battle of life,
experience which pre-eminently fired him for the
Arts and crafts schools, or Kunstgewerbeschuien office of organiser. Destined for the army he, at
as they are called, were
first established in Vienna
by the Imperial Govern-
ment nearly forty years
ago, though for many long
years before that the arts
and crafts had been taught
in the capital, and as a
result some fame had
already accrued to Vienna
in this direction, particu-
larly with her bronzes.
The idea of such schools,
like many other things
pertaining to the wehare
of the nation, originated
in the great Empress
Maria - Theresa. For the
first thirty years of the
existence of the present
schools the students were
mere copyists of old and
stereotyped forms ; there garden design by franz lebisch (prof. Hoffmann's class)
323
was no attempt to train them to think
and make use of eye and hand together.
Everything necessary to bring life into
art was systematically avoided: nothing
was done to stimulate the imagination
of the students; the curriculum con-
sisted in drawing and painting from the
flat or cast, or painting on vases which
were bought prepared for the final
touch that was to transform them
into obiets d'art.
Then came the great upheaval in
art, coinciding with the founding of
the Vienna Secession in 1897. At
the winter exhibition at the Austrian
Museum, in 1898, Hofrat von Scala
showed what England was doing in
design for a villa by hollmann (prof. hoffmann's class) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ g^j^
exhibitions thebestwork of othernations
it has given Paris a true revelation concerning as well as England was put on view, and helptd to
many very personal, very original artists; and it forward the cause. Then followed the resignation
only remains to congratulate the promoters of of the Archduke Rainer as Protector of the Austrian
this fine scheme and the generous collectors and Museum, and that of Hofrat von Storch as Director
art lovers who enabled it to be realised. of the Kunstgesverbeschulen, a position which he
Henri Frantz. had held for thirty years. He was succeeded by
Baron Felician von Myrbach in May, 1899.
THE IMPERIAL ARTS AND From that time dates the refjrm.
CRAFTS SCHOOLS, VIENNA. A man of many parts, Baron von Myrbach had
BY A S LEVETUS gained valuable experience in the battle of life,
experience which pre-eminently fired him for the
Arts and crafts schools, or Kunstgewerbeschuien office of organiser. Destined for the army he, at
as they are called, were
first established in Vienna
by the Imperial Govern-
ment nearly forty years
ago, though for many long
years before that the arts
and crafts had been taught
in the capital, and as a
result some fame had
already accrued to Vienna
in this direction, particu-
larly with her bronzes.
The idea of such schools,
like many other things
pertaining to the wehare
of the nation, originated
in the great Empress
Maria - Theresa. For the
first thirty years of the
existence of the present
schools the students were
mere copyists of old and
stereotyped forms ; there garden design by franz lebisch (prof. Hoffmann's class)
323