Centerpiece with Lapis Lazuli

Josef Hoffmann|Wiener Werkstätte

1906 · Silver and lapis lazuli · Modern and Contemporary Art

The interplay between simple geometric design, precious stones, and silver is a common characteristic of metal work design by Josef Hoffmann, a co-founder of the Wiener Werkstätte. This centerpiece features a design variation of the workshop’s signature Rose Mark; on each side of the centerpiece's foot, a stylized rose is set in the center within a pattern of interlocking squares framed by a rhombus. The Rose Mark was a clear tribute to the Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s influence on continental design. From 1903 to 1932, variations of the Rose Mark were incorporated into the designs of a multitude of work across mediums at the Wiener Werkstätte. This centerpiece was made for Fritz Waerndorfer, the main financial backer of the workshop.

Artist

Josef Hoffmann|Wiener Werkstätte

Date

1906

Medium

Silver and lapis lazuli

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, 2020