Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Born from the Vienna Secession art movement in Austria during the early 20th century, the Wiener Werkstätte helped to cement Art Nouveau style and culture in Viennese art. Wiener Werkstätte furniture included armchairs, cabinets and table lamps, with production extending to other crafts such as ceramics, jewelry and fashion. The Werkstätte also boasted a large graphic arts department, which created nearly 1,000 unique postcards during the organization’s run.
Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann, painter Koloman Moser and industrialist Fritz Waerndorfer established the collective in opposition to the dominant trends in Viennese art. The artistic community was then largely directed by the Association of Austrian Artists, which had firm control over the creation and distribution of Austrian art. The collective’s style pushed back against traditional artistic preferences, instead favoring clear, bold lines and often-exaggerated, vibrant colors.
Employing over 100 people, including several master craftsmen, the Werkstätte formed relationships and alliances with a number of firms and stores, which sold and commissioned new work from the workshop.
As the Wiener Werkstätte’s mission aligned with emerging British sensibilities regarding art, many British artists worked closely with the collective. Some major Austrian artists collaborated with the collective, without officially joining, such as painter Gustav Klimt.
The Werkstätte’s artistic range was extensive and eclectic, with the organization producing a wide variety of furniture. In 1932, the global economic collapse forced it to shut down. With the outbreak of WWII soon to follow, the Wiener Werkstätte never reopened. Its legacy lived on, however, in the numerous artists and craftspeople who carried forward its commitment to progressive cultural and creative endeavors.
On 1stDibs, find antique Wiener Werkstätte lighting, seating and storage pieces.
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Pottery, Terracotta
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1910s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Jugendstil Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Earthenware
1920s Austrian Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Pottery
1940s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Early 20th Century Austrian Bauhaus Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
2010s French Modern Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Metal, Brass
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Silver
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Clay
Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Lapis Lazuli, Silver
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Paint
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
2010s American Primitive Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Pottery, Porcelain, Clay
20th Century Austrian Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Jugendstil Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Earthenware
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Earthenware
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic, Earthenware
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
1920s Austrian Expressionist Vintage Wiener Werkstätte Ceramics
Ceramic
Wiener Werkstätte ceramics for sale on 1stDibs.
- What did Wiener Werkstätte do?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Wiener Werkstätte was a workshop in Vienna, Austria, that produced furniture and decorative objects. Architect Josef Hoffmann and painter Koloman Moser founded the company in 1903. You can shop a variety of Wiener Werkstätte furniture, lighting and decorative objects on 1stDibs.