IMAGE DETAILS

Florian Kolhammer

Pair of Armchairs from the II Secession Exhibition, 1898
Designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich
Executed by Friedrich OKo Schmidt, Vienna, circa 1898
Solid oak, brass, textile ('Abimelech' design by Koloman Moser, Vienna, 1899)

These extraordinary armchairs were part of the 'Kunstgewerbezimmer' at the second exhibition of the Vienna Secession, inaugurated on 12 November 1898 in the newly opened Secession building. Their design – strict in form, tectonic in structure, and uncompromisingly modern – exemplifies Olbrich’s radical vision. The upholstery fabric is Koloman Moser’s 'Abimelech' (1899), created for Backhausen & Söhne and exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposi6on Universelle. The pairing of Olbrich’s sculptural furniture with Moser’s expressive textile perfectly embodies the collaborative ethos of the Secession.

This remarkable pair was discovered and carefully researched in partnership with the Vienna-based GALERIE TRAUDES KINDER – a collaboration that reflects the same spirit of exchange and shared expertise that defined the movement itself. More than exceedingly important design objects, these unique pieces stand as a powerful manifesto of the Secession’s ideals.