This cake basket was designed by Koloman Moser in 1906. It was crafted by Adolf Wertnik at the Wiener Werkstatte's metalwork workshop. One of 21 baskets executed to this design, it was made between 1906 and 1913.
A painter and designer, Koloman Moser (1868-1918) was a founder of the Vienna Secession in 1897, and with Joseph Hoffmann and Fritz Waerndorfer, of the Wiener Werkstatte in 1903 (closed in 1932). The Wiener Werkstatte, an association of designers and craftspeople and a manufacturing cooperative, specialised in the production of handmade metalwork, jewellery, furniture, textiles and leather articles. It was also responsible for a range of interior designs and architectural projects. It produced posters, books and wallpapers as well as providing designs for ceramics, glassware (both from 1906) and costume (from 1910).
Inspired by the work of the English designer, Charles Robert Ashbee, and the Scottish designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the earliest products showed the influence of the rectilinear Art Nouveau style. Objects made after the First World War, however, were more decorative as illustrated by those designed, for example, by Dagobert Peche. Moser's cake basket is representative of the geometric-linear orientation of the earlier period. Much indebted to the artistic vision of both Moser and Hoffmann, this style was the precursor of the functionalist approach to design embraced by Bauhaus and Modernism.
Bearing a complete set of Wiener Werkstatte marks, including that of Moser, the basket is also an interesting example of the period of Moser's very close association with Hoffmann. It is often difficult to accurately attribute objects designed during these early years of collaboration to either. An identical basket, for example, was displayed in 1983 in the 'Vienna 1900' exhibition at the Museum of National Antiquities of Scotland, Edinburgh, as a work by Joseph Hoffmann (see P. Vergo, 'Vienna 1900', p.52). The design for this basket was one of Moser's last projects for the Wiener Werkstatte as he left the enterprise at the beginning of 1907.
Eva Czernis-Ryl
Designed by Koloman Moser (1868-1918) in 1906 in Vienna for the Wiener Werkstaette. A painter and designer, Moser was a founder of the Vienna Secessionin 1897, and with Joseph Hoffmann and Fritz Waerndorfer, of the Wiener Werkstaette in 1903. This was an association of designers and craftspeople and a manufacturing cooperative, that specialised in the production of handmade metalwork, jewellery, furniture, textiles and leather articles. It was also responsible for a range of interior designs and architectural projects and produced posters, books, and wallpapers.
Made by Adolf Wertnik at the metalwork workshop at the Wiener Werkstaette, Vienna between 1906-1913. This is one of 21 baskets produced to this design between 1906-1913. Registered as model 'S838'. Original design by K. Moser is the the library of the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts ain Vienna (MAK), inv. no. k.l. 12 032/5. A photograph of the basket is kept in the original Wiener Werkstaette album 94/64, also at the MAK.
Eva Czernis-Ryl
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