Vase with mount

In 1899, Josef Hoffmann designed a series of wood and glass sculptural objects inspired by Japanese prototypes for E. Bakalowits Söhne, some of which were shown at the highly influential Eighth Vienna Secession exhibition held in 1900. While this piece would seem to fall under the category of Art Nouveau design, it instead shows a clarity and restraint not typically associated with that movement. Here, there are no whiplash lines or exaggerated curves, but rather a balanced overall symmetry. This more tempered approach is characteristic of the aesthetic adopted by artists affiliated with the Vienna Secession. This work has a monumental quality and appears to be a stylized flower, perhaps a lily. The glass provides a striking contrast to the dark and warm tones of the wood mount.