DOI Heft:
No. 227 (February 1912)
DOI Artikel:Levetus, A. S.: Arts and crafts at the Austrian museum for art and industry, Vienna
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21156#0055
Arts and Crafts at the Austrian Museum, Vienna
CRYSTAL VASES WITH BRONZITE AND ENGRAVED VASE. DESIGNED AND EXE-
DECORATION. DESIGNED AND EXECUTED IN THE CUTED IN THE IMPERIAL
IMPERIAL FACHSCHULE AT STEINSCHONAU FACHSCHULE AT ZNAIM
recent exhibition, to which we will now turn our
attention.
With the single exception of the “ Kunstschau,”
this exhibition was the finest held within the city
since the old “ Secession ” days. The arrangements
were placed in the hands of Karl Witzmann, who,
though but twenty-seven years old, is recognised as
one of the leading architects of the new school.
He has, moreover, a peculiar advantage owing to
the fact that it was only after he had received his
indentures as a cabinet-maker that he entered the
Imperial Schools for Arts and Crafts under Professor
Josef Hoffmann. The prob-
lem he had to solve was
how to transform a huge
building of no particular
form into a number of
dwellable rooms and a large
central hall. This building
is the annexe to Heinrich
von Ferstel’s beautiful
edifice, and was added some
five years ago. Though
built so recently, it is in
direct contradiction to all
modern ideas of the re-
quirements for exhibitions.
Olbrich, when he built the
Vienna Secession Gallery,
showed the whole world what such a gallery should
be. One of the most difficult problems that Witz-
mann was confronted with was that of light and air.
This he solved in the central hall by means of an
artificial ceiling formed of drapings of white
Chinese silk of a light texture. It gives a pleasing
effect, adds light and gives air, relieving the feeling
of oppression which has always seemed to cling
to this airless place. A number of reception-
rooms, bedrooms, dining-rooms, salons, &c., were
“ built ” on either side of the central hall, the
designers of these being in every case men of the
CRYSTAL VASES WITH BRONZITE AND ENGRAVED VASE. DESIGNED AND EXE-
DECORATION. DESIGNED AND EXECUTED IN THE CUTED IN THE IMPERIAL
IMPERIAL FACHSCHULE AT STEINSCHONAU FACHSCHULE AT ZNAIM
recent exhibition, to which we will now turn our
attention.
With the single exception of the “ Kunstschau,”
this exhibition was the finest held within the city
since the old “ Secession ” days. The arrangements
were placed in the hands of Karl Witzmann, who,
though but twenty-seven years old, is recognised as
one of the leading architects of the new school.
He has, moreover, a peculiar advantage owing to
the fact that it was only after he had received his
indentures as a cabinet-maker that he entered the
Imperial Schools for Arts and Crafts under Professor
Josef Hoffmann. The prob-
lem he had to solve was
how to transform a huge
building of no particular
form into a number of
dwellable rooms and a large
central hall. This building
is the annexe to Heinrich
von Ferstel’s beautiful
edifice, and was added some
five years ago. Though
built so recently, it is in
direct contradiction to all
modern ideas of the re-
quirements for exhibitions.
Olbrich, when he built the
Vienna Secession Gallery,
showed the whole world what such a gallery should
be. One of the most difficult problems that Witz-
mann was confronted with was that of light and air.
This he solved in the central hall by means of an
artificial ceiling formed of drapings of white
Chinese silk of a light texture. It gives a pleasing
effect, adds light and gives air, relieving the feeling
of oppression which has always seemed to cling
to this airless place. A number of reception-
rooms, bedrooms, dining-rooms, salons, &c., were
“ built ” on either side of the central hall, the
designers of these being in every case men of the