Glass of the Architects: Vienna, 1900–1937

Today, we think of architects as people who design buildings, construct skylines, and help create the visual identities of our cities and towns. But at the turn of the 20th century in Europe, the term architect applied not just to people who designed buildings, but to people who designed all aspects of interior decoration. They believed their role was to seamlessly integrate a modern aesthetic into all aspects of daily life. For these architects, furniture, ceramics, textiles, and glass, played an essential role in completing their new artistic vision. Glass of this period emerged from a confluence of ideas, individuals, and cultures, and reflected a spirit of modernity.

Glass of the Architects: Vienna, 1900–1937 explores this transformative period in Austrian design. Approximately 170 objects, including the installation of Josef Hoffmann’s complete room, Boudoir d’une grande vedette (first displayed at the 1937 Paris World Exhibition), illustrate the immense variety of techniques and varied aesthetics of Austrian glass during this period.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.         

Tableware Set of Nine Blown Vessels, 1916. Designed by Josef Hoffmann (Austrian, 1870–1956); Wiener Werkstätte; probably manufactured by Meyr’s Neffe Glassworks. Glass, mold blown, cracked-off rims and feet, and polished. Smallest object: H. 8.2 cm, Diam. 11.6 cm; Tallest object: H. 32.8 cm, Diam. 9.5 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (74.3.24).