Wiener Werkstatte: Design in Vienna 1903-1932 [Hardcover]

Christian Brandstatter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2003

Founded 100 years ago in Vienna, the Wiener Werkstätte-"Vienna Workshops"-was an idealistic movement to unite the fine and applied arts with the goal of creating beautifully designed and crafted objects for every purpose. Begun by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser, the movement eventually involved hundreds of artists and craftsmen working in architecture, furniture design, tableware, metalwork, ceramics and glass, books, posters, carpets, jewelry, fabrics, and haute couture, not to mention paintings and the traditional fine arts.

This heavily illustrated, compact-format book offers as complete a record as we are ever likely to see of the group's astonishingly creative work, from complex, integrated environments such as Hoffmann's Palais Stoclet in Brussels and Cabaret Fledermaus in Vienna to individual objects such as enameled-glass stemware by Otto Prutscher and vibrantly colored postcards by Oskar Kokoschka. Wiener Werkstätte provides a comprehensive overview of this fascinating movement, one of the high points of modern design history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christian Brandstätter is the author of numerous books about Viennese art of the 20th century, and the leading publisher in the field. He lives in Vienna.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810948036
• ISBN-13: 978-0810948037
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #883,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good pictorial guide but without a lot of depth, March 20, 2005

By 

L. Carol "carolcecilia, D.V." - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wiener Werkstatte: Design in Vienna 1903-1932 (Hardcover)

Christian Brandstatter's book offered a broad overview of the 'Wiener Werkstatte (WW)' or 'Viennese Workshop', from the its history to its collaborators (the inimitable Josef Hoffmann, Kolo Moser, Adolf Loos, Gustav Klimt et al), exhibitions, architecture/interiors/furniture, Graphic Design, Glass/Ceramics/Metal and Fashion. The drawback was that text was brief and it was obvious that the author tried to make up for what was lacking in depth and detail with a slew of full-page/full-colored pictures that ran the gamut of the book. The distinguishing feature is the book's inclusion of many little-seen pictures across-the-board, but the sepia-toned photograph (not painting) of Madame Adele Bloch-Bauer* topped everything else off as it was the first I have ever seen in the plethora of English language books I have read on the subject matter.

*Adele Bloch-Bauer was a married socialite who was widely speculated to have had a long-time love affair with Gustav Klimt. She was arguably Klimt's most notable muse who inspired the artist in creating his best works of the "Gold Period", from the popular (even clichéd) painting of "The Kiss" to "Judith & Holofernes" to her many extraordinary full-length portraits beautifully decked out in sumptuous gold paint and glitter.

Given the dearth of books in English language on WW, I would recommend aficionados to delve into literature on some of the most representational, larger-than-life characters of the Secession movement:

(1) "Gustav Klimt & Emilie Floge: An Artist and His Muse" by Wolfgang G. Fischer - a look at Secessionist fashion and the illusive platonic love between the two protagonists;
(2) "Gustav Klimt" by C.M. Nebehay - one of the most insightful accounts ever written on the artist and his collaborators' involvement with WW;
(3) "Klimt" by Frank Whitford - well-written section on the construction and development of Palais Stoclet in Brussels, the most impressive mansion built and its interior meticulously designed and adorned by Josef Hoffman & the forerunners of the WW movement;
(4) "Egon Schiele" by Frank Whitford - a study on the short life of the wayward artist and its contributions to the movement; and
(5) "Kokoschka and Alma Mahler" by Alfred Weidinger - a walk through the tumultuous love-hate relationship between the most famous femme fatale and her artist lover of the period.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book! Highly Recommended., September 13, 2010

By 

Love to Read "Love to Read" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wiener Werkstatte: Design in Vienna 1903-1932 (Hardcover)

Excellent Book! Highly Recommended. I used it for my architectural history class project and it turned out perfect.
Has everything on Wiener Werkstatte to get an A +.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Design from start to finish., January 25, 2010

By 

Elizabeth Gallardo "almost bird" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wiener Werkstatte: Design in Vienna 1903-1932 (Hardcover)

This is my favorite art book. I love it because it visually shows how a lithograph goes from a print, to a wallpaper, to a textile print, to a fashion design, to a photograph of said design, and ends up in a painting (Klimt's). The process is amazing.