Koloman Moser: Master of Viennese Modernism

Fin-de-siecle Vienna was a hive of creative activity, and at its centre was one of the most versatile artists of the age, Koloman Moser (1868-1918). As a teacher, artist and craftsman, Moser had an immense influence on the tastes of his time, with talents that ranged from illustration and graphics to stained glass and the design of stage sets and postage stamps. In 1897 he was a founder member of the Vienna Secession, and in 1903, together with his friend and colleague Josef Hoffmann, he founded the Wiener Werkstatte, whose workshops were to set trends that spread far beyond the boundaries of Austria. He devoted the last years of his life to painting, and in recent times his reputation in this field too has steadily grown.
Despite the wealth of information that has survived down the years, Moser's personality remains largely hidden behind his work. Here, Maria Rennhofer connects the many fragments of Moser's personal life, his artistic influences and his multifaceted creativity to form a coherent portrait of this fascinating man. This is not only the first comprehensive account of Moser's life and work to by published in English, but also an in-depth look at the flourishing artistic environment which he did so much to create and shape.

This beautifully illustrated book is the first monographic treatment in English of an Austrian artist/designer who was a key figure in the Wiener Werkstatte (Vienna Craft Studio), a workshop that produced furniture and decorative objects from artist-made designs. Founded in 1903, the Wiener Werkstatte remained in operation until 1932.

Koloman Moser (1868-1918) and Josef Hoffman, the architect, cofounded the Wiener Werkstatte as a place where artists and craftsmen could collaborate creatively. At the Wiener Werkstatte and later, Moser produced masses of designs for decorative objects, which usually featured long-tressed ladies in trailing gowns. Victor Cassidy
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