Art Peritus Selects

Hoffmann, Josef (Austrian, 1870-1956)

A pioneer in early twentieth century modern architecture and design, Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann was founding member of Vienna Secession and co-creator of the Wiener Werkstädtte, a cooperative workshop that employed over a hundred skilled artisans and craftsmen to produce various objects such as ceramics, jewelry, furniture, glass and carpets. During this time Hoffmann’s style evolved away from the natural, curvilinear designs of the Art Nouveau movement, and instead embraced the simplified geometric forms and patterns inspired by the new industrial age of the Art Deco era.

The present carpet fragment is very similar to Hoffmann’s bellflower motif that was designed for Palais Stoclet in 1907 and manufactured by J. Backhausen and Sohne. The carpet pattern was also used for rooms in Villa Ast, other Hoffmann residential apartments, and found in the studio of Hoffmann’s good friend Gustav Klimt.