Josef Hoffmann: Interiors, 1902-1913

“Josef Hoffmann: Interiors, 1902-1913,” presents four complete interiors by the influential Austrian architect, and is on view from November 2, 2006, through February 26, 2007. It is the first exhibition of its kind, and highlights material never before shown in the United States. The Curator of the exhibition is Dr. Christian Witt-Dörring, Curator of Decorative Arts at Neue Galerie New York.

“This exhibition will surprise and, I hope, please many people,” said Ronald S. Lauder, President of the Neue Galerie, at the time of the exhibition opening. “These magnificent interiors contain all the color and sense of fantasy that Josef Hoffmann originally gave to them.”

“Hoffmann epitomizes early-twentieth-century Viennese design,” said Renée Price, Director of the Neue Galerie. “His rigorously abstracted forms were essential in defining the style of the era.”

Josef Hoffmann (1870-1956) is recognized as one of the leading figures in the modern movement. The four featured interiors will be a girl’s bedroom from the Max Biach residence (Vienna, 1902), a bedroom from the Hans Salzer residence (Vienna, 1902), the dining room from the residence of Jerome Stonborough and Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein (Berlin, 1905), and the dining room from the residence of the Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler (Geneva, 1913). Each interior will be furnished with numerous objects original to those rooms: furniture, wall and floor coverings, textiles, lighting, ceramics, glass, and metalwork. Many of these products were produced under the auspices of the influential Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshops), of which Hoffmann was the artistic director.