Not currently on display at the V&A

Cabinet

1898-1899 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In 1898 Otto Wagner designed a large apartment block at 3 Köstlergasse in Vienna. In it he incorporated a small apartment for his own occassional use. This cabinet, part of suite that comprised a sideboard, four arcmchairs and a vitrine, is of particular interest being the first cabinet in which Wagner abandoned any suggestion of a classical cornice.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 8 parts.

  • Cabinet
  • Keys
  • Base
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Shelves
Materials and techniques
Walnut, with inlaid mother-of-pearl and cut glass
Brief description
Cabinet designed by Otto Wagner, walnut with inlaid mother-of-pearl, cut glass, Austria, 1898-99.
Physical description
Cabinet, walnut with inlaid mother-of-pearl, cut glass.
Dimensions
  • Height: 199cm
  • Width: 99cm
  • Depth: 62.5cm
Dimensions taken from departmental catalogue. Not checked on object. Suspect it may be 200 cm high and 100 cm wide
Gallery label
  • CABINET W.14-1982 'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900' Designed for Wagner's dining room in his apartment at 3 Köstlergasse, this cabinet is one of the first pieces in which Wagner abandoned any suggestion of a classical cornice. The Köstlergasse apartment block is round the corner from, and contemporary with, Wagner's famous Majolikahaus: both buildings were regarded as aggressively modern and helped to reinforce Wagner's position as the leader of the younger generation of Secession architects in Vienna.(1987-2006)
  • International Arts & Crafts The architect Otto Wagner designed a small apartment for himself in Vienna, to use as a pied-a-terre in the city. For it he created the first 'modern' Viennese furniture, including this cabinet & chair for the dining room. The room itself had yellow silk walls with brown velvet appliqué and a silver-coloured plaster ceiling.(17/03/2005)
  • 103-106 CABINET Designed by Otto Wagner (Austrian, 1841-1918) Walnut with mother-of-pearl inlay Austrian, about 1898-9 Otto Wagner included this cabinet in his own dining room in Vienna and for the first time he abandoned even a suggestion of a classical cornice in favour of a purely functional design. This shift signalled the major design trend of the twentieth century. Simplified decoration, derived from geometry, found favour with designers in Vienna and in Glasgow around 1900. W.14-1982(12/07/2006)
Object history
Made for Otto Wagner's own dining room at 3 Köstlergasse, Vienna.
Summary
In 1898 Otto Wagner designed a large apartment block at 3 Köstlergasse in Vienna. In it he incorporated a small apartment for his own occassional use. This cabinet, part of suite that comprised a sideboard, four arcmchairs and a vitrine, is of particular interest being the first cabinet in which Wagner abandoned any suggestion of a classical cornice.
Bibliographic reference
Livingstone, Karen & Parry, Linda (eds.), International Arts and Crafts, London : V&A Publications, 2005 p.253
Collection
Accession number
W.14:1, 2-1982

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 26, 2001
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest