Mirror frame

During World War I and its immediate aftermath, the Wiener Werkstätte was challenged to be creative due to the shortage of raw materials. They turned to wood, glass, enamel, tin, and textiles to fabricate goods out of readily available materials that could be used to create whimsical designs. Dagobert Peche was particularly inventive in this type of experimentation. In 1922, the Wiener Werkstätte established a relationshiop with the frame producer Max Welz and Peche designed a series of highly inventive mirror frames that were made by this firm. Mirrors were extremely costly to produce. This work and the others from this group were all hand-carved and gilt. In Peche’s conception, the functional purpose of the object is completely subservient to his artistic vision.