Waltraud Neuwirth
ART NOUVEAU IN BLOSSOM -
AUSTRIA
Vol. I: Colors, Shapes, Ornamenta-
tion
302 pages, 84 colour illustrations,
296 black-and-white illustrations
ISBN 3-900282-40-4 (1991)
Vol. II: Companies and Marks (A-H)
288 pages, 75 colour illustrations,
103 black-and-white illustrations (with
many marks)
ISBN 3-900282-19-6 (1991)
Vol. III: Companies and Marks (K-Z)
ISBN 3-900282-41-2 (in print, 1992)
Austrian applied art at the turn of the Cen
tury was strongly influenced by the floral
element. Floral and foliate themes are por-
trayed in many materials and in all dimen-
sions, whether in linear or two-dimensional
ornamentation, in intaglio, in relief or in the
round as the Union of the plant and the
vessel. They Vary aooording to artistic de-
sign, material and technique: from iri-
descent Lötz glass or contrasting etched
overlays to a deep intaglio cut, from dark
lavender (Moser/Karlsbad), green “ice-
etching" and gilded engraving (Lobmeyr) to
leaded glass (Geyling). They are seen in
ceramics of northern Bohemia (Turn-
Teplitz) and especially in the brilliant Eosin
vases of Zsolnay/Pecs (Fünfkirchen) as
well as in the cheerful, folkloristic colorful-
ness of Frainersdorfer Ceramics; in metals,
on the one hand in the silver of jardinieres,
mirrors and fable wares from Viennese sil-
versmiths, on the other hand in the nickel
silver (alpaca) of the Berndorfer Metall
warenfabrik or in the mounts for costly
glasses. Jewelry design (Köchert) also re-
turned to the floral motif around the turn of
the Century; textiles were dominated by
patterns created for Backhausen by re-
nowned artists (Delavilla, Hoffmann, Jung
nickel, Margold, Moser and a large number
of pupils of the Vienna School of Applied
Art) and furniture also made repeated use
of floral motifs, whether for upholstery fab-
rics, veneer reliefs or burnt-work (Thonet
and Kohn).
In the adaptation of nature's model for ap
plied art, the ränge extends from natural-
ism to abstraction, although by no means
in linear succession, but offen in parallel
developments. Linear and two-dimensional
art in graphics and textiles, and even en
graving on glasses often result in a fasci-
nating congruence despite the diversity of
materials and techniques. And the way to
the third dimension leads via the relief,
overlaid and cased glass and layered cer
amics when the vessel and the plant ele
ment become one.
