Vienna Workshop and the Wiener Werkstätte design movement

Wiener Werkstatte

The Gesamtkunstwerk in the Wiener Werkstatte

The idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk, or "total, integrated work of art," was developed by Richard Wagner to describe what he was trying to do with his opera - that is, blend all of the arts together into a single, unified whole. Artists belonging to the Wiener Werkstatte, inspired by the concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk, took this concept as their ultimate artistic goal. While in the end, due largely to funding problems, the Wiener Werkstatte failed, it nonetheless left an indelible mark on the artistic accomplishments of the Weimar era in Central Europe. In what follows, I will discuss the accomplishments as well as the shortcomings of the Wiener Werkstatte in an effort to determine to what extent the artists and craftsmen associated with this movement were able to attain the heights of the Gesamtkunstwerk.

The beginnings of the Wiener Werkstatte

History teaches us that artists tend to view their work as an integrated part of everyday life. In regard to the Vienna Academy of the early 20th century, however, art merely served as an esoteric entity. Motivated primarily by commercial means, the Kunstlerhaus sought to limit the influence of foreign artists, maintaining an exclusionary "country club" attitude towards the mass majority. However, innovative thoughts and practices encouraged the spread of art to accommodate the majority as well as the minority. In the Vienna of 1900, art sought to unite the outsiders with the insiders, providing access to otherwise impenetrable aristocratic circles. Tension and clashes between tradition and innovation resulted in the rise of retaliating movements. In 1897, forty artistic rebels founded the Vienna Secession with Gustav Klimt as president. The common goal involved establishing an art that does not discriminate, whether for richer or for poorer. Represented by artists such as Giovanni Segantini, Ferdinand Khnopff, and Max Klinger, the Vienna Secession later led to the establishment of the Wiener Werkstatte in 1903.

Founded by Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser and Fritz Warndorfer, the concept of the Wiener Werkstatte is said to have originated in coffeehouse discussions amongst the three protagonists. As early as 1899, a groundwork or blueprint had been laid. The foundation of the Wiener Werkstatte called for a unity between art and craftsmanship, suggesting a series of workshops in which artists and craftsmen alike can work as well as learn from each other; thus the original idea of the Wiener Werkstatte was artistic as well as pedagogical.

The German writer Julius Meier-Graefe helped cement the idea in the form of "Wiener Kunst im Hause" (Viennese Domestic Art) in 1900. Supported by the Wiener Kunstgewerbeverein (Viennese Arts and Crafts Association) as well as the Secession, models for the workshop were also provided by foreign organizations such as United Workshops for Art and Crafts (German). The funding for the workshop was provided by Warndorfer, a textile manufacturer and supporter of the Secession.

In general, the workshop set out to connect the public, designer, and craftsman together in the production of simple domestic items. Products were required to be useful while reflecting the "modern spirit." Originally situated in a three-room apartment, the Wiener Werkstatte was later moved (October 1903) to a three-story building in Vienna's Seventh District. The building came equipped with gold, silver, and metalwork facilities; bookbinding, leatherwork, cabinetry, and paint shops were added.

After merging with architectural firm of Hoffmann, the workshop debuted in 1904 at Berlin's Hohenzollern Kunstgewerbehaus (Hohenzollern Arts and Crafts House). Three years later, the Werkstatte would expand to include the production of textiles and the opening of fashion boutiques. In 1916 and 1917, showrooms for fashion and textiles, respectively, were constructed on the Karntnerstrasse (Vienna's First District). At the same time, Werkstatte branches were added in Marienbad and Zurich. Throughout the 1920s, branches of the Wiener Werkstatte would open in New York, Velden, and Berlin.

In its heyday, the workshop became the subject of press coverage, exhibitions, and public discourse around Europe and the United States. With the expansion of forums and outside connections, an enormous system of allied artisans and artists was established.

II. Aesthetic Tendencies within the Werkstatte

The Wiener Werkstatte aimed to combine elegance, functionality, and aptness into their manufactured products. The workshop was successful, in that it lasted for nearly thirty years (1903 to 1932). In its striving towards the unity of the Gesamtkunstwerk, the Wiener Werkstatte consisted of a number of different workshops with different focuses - or as one big workshop with many miniature workshops within, depending on how one wishes to view it.

The Wiener Werkstatte combined an aesthetic platform with a revolutionary pedagogical approach, in which artists and craftsmen could come together to teach and learn from one another. Artistic influences stemmed from England, Scotland, and notably, Japan. Response to Japanese art was enthusiastic in 1900 Europe. Additionally, the Japanese artist craftsman represented a nondiscriminatory art in which common and prestigious artistry shared equal status. This representation, along with the Japanese habit of appreciating everyday beauty, fully embodied the innovative thinking of the Secession as well as the Werkstatte. For the workshop, the aim of Gesamtkunstwerk was in harmonizing the details, the high and low, and the interior and exterior.

III. Major architectural achievements of the Wiener Werkstatte i. Purkersdorf Sanatorium

Hoffmann built the Sanatorium itself in 1904 for Viktor Zuckerkandl. Notably, reinforced concrete (considered the then-latest building technology) was used along with brick masonry. Checkered blue and white tiles were the primary ornamentation. The balanced arrangement of axes, dynamic facade elements, and successful combination of intersecting edges succeeded in achieving an elegant exterior. Harmonization between the exterior and interior is seen through constant usage of cube and plane both outside and inside. Vast addition of glass partitions further emphasizes the harmony. There is no redundancy in the sanatorium's design. Simplicity is maintained throughout, without the excessive ornaments, pillars and disturbing colors. A spacious feeling is also entrenched with the array of interconnecting rooms. For the interior, angles and corners are not disguised by any trifles. Both the structure and function of the material are made clear. In an age where realism dominates, Werkstatte art seeks to show, not to hide. Interestingly, what is shown is also integrated throughout. Nothing is left alone to stand out. Thus, Werkstatte art also acts to show without being showy. Sunken panels in the ceiling are also copied in the floor patterns. Windows refracting light also lend rhythm to the rooms. Furnishings by Moser were designed to complement the cube-like exterior of the Sanatorium. Geometric austerity is captured, earning Hoffmann's 'Little Square' nickname. From planters, tables, and utensils, cubist ornamentation is applied through checkered sides, sheet-iron boxes, and square bases. From carpets to perfume boxes, geometric simplicity continues to charm and dominate.

A ii. Palais Stoclet

Established between 1905 and 1911 in Brussels, the Palais Stoclet is regarded as a masterpiece in the history of architecture. Similar to the Purkersdorf Sanatorium, the Palais Stoclet seeks to integrate geometric architecture. Coordination and harmony is captured from the gardens on down to the cutlery. Notably, for the interior decoration, Hoffmann successfully conducts a symphony of painters, sculptors and craftsmen. Horizontals, verticals, and block-like components dominate the exterior. The white marble slabs from the walls also achieve softness. The seams made up of bronze metal bands restore 'Unity of the whole'. Even with the expensive materials, the building remains serene and light. Again, redundancy is nowhere in sight. Added to the construct is a tall tower, which beautifully integrates itself into the building's overall grace. The black-and-white striped furnishings also complement the connective planes of the exterior. Additionally, the excessive windows in the main hall allows for the room to glisten and "flood with light." The gardens along with the trees are trimmed into geometric shapes leaning towards the circular arena. A constant linearity is also achieved with the building expansions, longitudinal axis, and parallelism from the dining room to the main hall. The overall design also maintains a consistency in the proportioning, rhythm, natural and artificial light deployments, as well as surface treatments. Throughout, individual parts are united, delicacy and austerity is achieved and integrated. A marriage to elegance is seen everywhere, from the colors and patterns to the measurements and proportions. Commodities such as utensils are artistically noble as well as industrially useful. In general, the Palais Stoclet proves the possibility of uniting art and life.

A iii. Villa ast

With the construction of the Palais Stoclet, the Villa ast (designed by steel engineer Eduard ast) echoes many of the same principles. Although seemingly observed to be showy, the Villa's actual design obeys the same "elementary" geometry. Classicism, or self-realization and satisfaction, is conveyed by the smooth-flowing quality of the building. Similar to the Palais Stoclet, horizontal and vertical contrasts are emphasized, along with garnishing around each window. Triangular fields, pilaster strips, and solid projectiles further encourage the geometric essence.

A iv. Villa Skywa-Primavesi

Another masterpiece was Villa Skywa-Primavesi, built between 1910 and 1914. Commissioned by Robert Primavesi, the villa takes after him and his companion, Josefine Skywa. The actual construction was the work of ast (Villa ast). Similar to his previous creation, classicism is captured within the "fluted pillars" and "lateral projections." Numerous ornaments, such as pearl, egg-and-dart, and leaf moldings, are incorporated. Notable sculptures include one by Anton Hanak, above the tall windows on the right side of the house. Hoffmann's geometric motifs are also detected through the verticals and latticework. The furnishings also bear geometric grid patterns. Specific features include square flowers and lozenge patterns with complementary colors of white and black (white and gold is used as well). An overall impression of lightness is also achieved, with high stairwells, freestanding marble columns, and decorative glasswork. Notably, the design of the garden was intended to give off an exclusive impression. The terraces (some semi-cylindrical, some not) and ground level disparities instigate a conservative sense. In contrast, freedom is also employed with the rich modulations of light and shade on the villa's exterior. Memories of the rococo are also awakened with the "tea temple," consisting of a pond and a pergola. In general, the ornamental leaves and flowering tendrils removes the house from the "cubes" of Hoffmann's Purkerdorf Sanatorium. However, simplicity is maintained overall with the straight patterns, straight lines, and Japanese assimilations.

v. Sonja Knips House

Built between 1924 and 1925 in Vienna, the house for Sonja Knips served as the last urban villa designed by Hoffmann. Notably, the tradition of the Arts and Crafts movement (unity of the two) is embodied within the foundation and clear layout of the rooms. The front is symmetrical, with diamond shaped studs between the windows and the front door. While the exterior is equipped with a hipped roof, slated windows and chimneys, the blank interior walls consist of paintings by Gustav Klimt. Notably, Klimt's painting of Sonja Knips was his first important female portrait. Many of the same elements from previous buildings were incorporated. The contrasting verticals and horizontals were used along with the grid patterns of the garden. From the interior, the blank walls provide the space evident in many of Hoffmann's buildings. However, instead of the usual abstract depiction throughout, Hoffmann also mixes in the arabesque. Structures were lighter and more curvaceous instead of simply cubic. Sensuality in the sleeping quarters is also added with a Venus painting by Susi Singer. In front of the bedroom window, a ceramic female nude (Singer) is also observed. The usage of "warm" and "cool" fluctuate from room to room. Similar to the Palais Stoclet, cherry-wood panels 'warm up' the bedroom while shades 'cool off' the dressing room. Lightness and transparency is maintained, with the recurrent linking of the living room, dining room, kitchen and study. Significantly, however, the house serves as a doorway towards a different, more modern future.

IV. Fashion and Product Design

Regarding fashion and accessories, recognition comes from the new designs with their noticeably original patterns and colors. Fashion, along with textiles, served to be Wiener Werkstatte's most successful commercial branch. Eduard Josef Wimmer-Wisgrill established the department in 1910. Designer Paul Poiret bought large quantities of the fabrics in 1911, resulting in major influences on Parisian fashion and French textile design. Notably, Wimmer-Wisgrill founded the fashion department after the clothing of various clients failed to match their Werkstatte surroundings. As homage to women, fashion was dominated by "arty drapes of silk" and "bubbling excitement." The foundation for innovative Viennese fashion involved the fabrics produced by major suppliers such as Hoffman, Moser, and Dagobert Peche (at least 2766 designs). From 1900 onwards, art began to gain femininity. The recurring theme of unity also embodies the department, connecting fashion with art. From the interior of the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry, Peche creates intimacy between fashion and art. As stated previously the Werkstatte goal, first and foremost, is "to give objects their most practical and functional shape, and then to render them valuable and individual through the use of harmonious proportions and pleasing forms that are appropriate to the material." Again, the combination of practicality and beauty seeks to tie in life with art. In part due to war, and in part due to femininity, the women dominated the fashion department. Men designed formal attires. In addition to women artists in the workshops, women working from home were also employed. Particular obligations ranged from hat decorations to embroidery items. After the war, glass beads were used for a wide range of accessories. Inventiveness was consistently prioritized before cost. If a material was cheap, that was only by coincidence. Many major artists observed the luster of glass, along with the luminosity of their colors, with promise. In many handbags, the early designs of Josef Hoffmann (geometry, symmetry, linearity) can be detected. As always, the "total work of art" is always applied.

In the glass category, the Wiener Werkstatte never produced its own glass. Instead, Bohemian glassmakers employed by Viennese "distributors" made the material from the Werkstatte designs. Most glass distributors such as E. Bakalowits Sohne supported the stringent geometrical and floral patterns used by Moser, Hoffmann, Sika, and Powolny. Significantly, from 1916, most glass objects were not made but finished in the workshops. These included engraving and painting. Productions range from wineglasses to decanters. Comparatively, familiar designs such as diamond shaped studs and white-strips are incorporated on some. Others consist of butterflies and animal designs.

The production of bookbindings and bookplates continued for private clients from 1903 to 1925. The desire to protect and honor books in their entirety stem from the representative Werkstatte ideal of appreciating the "ultimate art" as a whole. With designs ranging from geometrical to metaphorical, Gesamtkunstwerk is a recurring concept conveyed throughout the Werkstatte shops.

Through the fields of arts and crafts, a consistent theme is repeated throughout. Unity and simplicity are common mainframes in Werkstatte art, spurred by Hoffmann's geometry and linearity. All in all, the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk extends to accommodate all works and products, from buildings to bookplates.

V. Politics and Aesthetics: The Wiener Werkstatte in the Weimar Republic

Unlike the lack of cohesion and unity in politics, the Wiener Werkstatte found unity by grouping artisans with craftsmen. During the Weimar Republic, right, middle and left wings all formed individual movements and organization. While there were various innovative and impressive suggestions for improvements, physical actions and mandates were impeded by tension among the various sects. The lack of agreement, organization, and union among the different groups was a leading cause to the Republic's demise. Individuals, unable to find the necessary harmony in their surroundings, turned to forms of literature such as books and poetry as a haven from the turmoil. Poets such as Georg and Rilke offered membership circles, one exclusive and the other inclusive. Heidegger's philosophy of revolutionary change was used to promote Nazism (he encouraged the movement). In an essence, the Republic "hungered for wholeness." Hofmannsthal believed that hope and security relied on unity. "Indeed, only where there is 'believed wholeness off existence...there is reality." He asserted that Germany needed unity, whether in regards to spirit and life, or with literature and politics. Unfortunately, those who relied on 'written words' failed to find wholeness and connection. Their escape from disunity led not to unity, but to ignorance. The break from reality both clouded and confused the mind. Worst than a tortured individual is a confused individual. This is because confusion induces vulnerability, inviting schemes such as manipulation and control. A mind tormented by disorder seeks to achieve order, no matter the form. Thus, the confusion and disorder served as a prelude to Nazism and the eventual end of the Republic.

In contrast to the inability of literature to unite the mind, art and architecture succeeded in establishing an overall unity and wholeness. Significantly, the Wiener Werkstatte embodied that principle in all its works and forms of art. With the primary goal being to unite artistry with craftsmanship, the workshop serves as an example of the Gesamtkunstwerk concept. In architecture, the linking of rooms and matching of furnishings conveys unity and connection. In fashion and accessories, unity is also detected from the Austrian fashion exhibit of Peche to the production of bookbindings in order to maintain the 'wholeness' of books. Werkstatte art offered hope for the disoriented. Various Hoffmann buildings also served as proof of the harmony of life and art. By adding beauty to a utility such as a utensil, Werkstatte artists achieved the trend of seeking beauty in everyday life (for better words, uniting art with life). The harmony of the exterior and interior of Werkstatte houses may also bring light to the need for equality among the high and the low, or the rich and the poor. Thus, among the political turmoil and verbal manipulation, artistry was the true haven for those wishing to find peace and harmony.

Aside from disunity among the political factions, the fear of modernity served as another harbinger to Weimar's downfall. Derived from "the hunger for wholeness," the fear for modernity further explains the feelings and responses of the public. Thoughts and complexes didn't solely include the desire for unity. Mixed in were hostile feelings and attitudes towards the modernizing Republic. Urban life, tainted with cosmopolitans, monstrous machines, and capitalist materialism, prompted hate as well as fear. The unhealthy mix of hunger and hostility resulted also in a mix of brutality and instability. Modernity and machines changed the world, for better or for worse. Unfortunately, for the Weimar Republic, the change was not favorable.