Chest of Drawers
ca. 1900 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This chest of drawers was designed by Adolf Loos around 1900 for the apartment of Gustav and Marie Turnowsky in Vienna. Marie Turnoswky's brother was a friend of Loos'.
The chest of drawers was designed en suite with a room divider, a cupboard, a dressing table and a wardrobe. Its cubic shape, simple outline and the unusual brass handles root this piece firmly in the ideas of the Vienna Secession movement. However, the panelled construction of the wardrobe derives from traditional cabinet-making techniques.
Adolf Loos used the same handles on a sideboard designed in 1900 for the Vienna apartment of the essayist, Dr Otto Stoessl.
The chest of drawers was designed en suite with a room divider, a cupboard, a dressing table and a wardrobe. Its cubic shape, simple outline and the unusual brass handles root this piece firmly in the ideas of the Vienna Secession movement. However, the panelled construction of the wardrobe derives from traditional cabinet-making techniques.
Adolf Loos used the same handles on a sideboard designed in 1900 for the Vienna apartment of the essayist, Dr Otto Stoessl.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
|
Materials and techniques | Maple, the carcase of deal with oak panels, brass handles, and cladding, the base covered in brass sheet |
Brief description | Austrian (Vienna), 1899-1900, des. Adolf Loos to Chest of Drawers, 1 new Top drawer from chest of drawers. Austrian (Vienna), 1899-1900, des. Adolf Loos Second drawer from top from chest of drawers. Austrian (Vienna), 1899-1900, des. Adolf Loos Third drawer from top from chest of drawers. Austrian (Vienna), 1899-1900, des. Adolf Loos Fourth drawer from top from chest of drawers. Austrian (Vienna), 1899-1900, des. Adolf Loos |
Physical description | Maple-veneered deal and oak chest-of-drawers on brass-covered plinth, with four drawers above two doors, the exposed carcase mouldings at the front decorated with grooves, the sides panelled. The handles and lock plates rectangular and of brass. |
Dimensions |
|
Style | |
Gallery label | CHEST OF DRAWERS
W.19-1982
'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900'
This chest was designed for the bedroom of the apartment of Gustav and Marie Turnowsky. It was probably made by the firm of Friedrich Otto Schmidt, who showed furniture for the apartment at the 1900/1901 Winter Exhibition of the Vienna Applied Arts Museum. Loos's pupil Heinrich Kulka (1900-1974) drew attention in 1931 to Loos's revival of panelled construction in this piece, in contrast to the specious designs of Hoffmann and Van de Velde.(1987-2006) |
Object history | This chest of drawers was designed for the apartment of Gustav and Marie Turnowsky at 19 Wohllebengasse, Vienna 4. In about 1915 it was removed to their new apartment at 20 Gusshausstrasse, Vienna 4, where Loos designed an ante-room. Who made the chest-of-drawers cannot be established; it may have been the firm of Friedrich Otto Schmidt who showed furniture from the Turnosky apartment at the 1900/1901 Winter exhibition of the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie. |
Historical context | Handles similar to those on this chest of drawers were used by Loos on a bedside cupboard designed in 1899 for the art historian, Dr Hugo Haberfeld, who wrote on Austrian art in The Studio (1906) and in 1913 delivered a lecture on Loos in Vienna. Exactly the same handles were used by Loos on a great sideboard of dark-stained oak, designed in 1900 for the Vienna apartment of the essayist, Dr Otto Stoessl (1875-1936). The bedroom in the Turnosky apartment also contained a room divider, a cupboard, a dressing table and wardrobe en suite with this chest of drawers. In 1931, Heinrich Kulka (1900-1974), pupil, friend and colleague of Loos, drew attention to Loos's revival of traditional panelled construction in these pieces, in contrast not only to the specious designs of Hoffmann and Van de Velde, but also to the furniture shown in the Werkbund's Die Form ohne Ornament (1924). |
Summary | This chest of drawers was designed by Adolf Loos around 1900 for the apartment of Gustav and Marie Turnowsky in Vienna. Marie Turnoswky's brother was a friend of Loos'. The chest of drawers was designed en suite with a room divider, a cupboard, a dressing table and a wardrobe. Its cubic shape, simple outline and the unusual brass handles root this piece firmly in the ideas of the Vienna Secession movement. However, the panelled construction of the wardrobe derives from traditional cabinet-making techniques. Adolf Loos used the same handles on a sideboard designed in 1900 for the Vienna apartment of the essayist, Dr Otto Stoessl. |
Bibliographic references |
|
Collection | |
Accession number | W.19:1, 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
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | June 26, 2001 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest