Florian Kolhammer

Florian Kolhammer - Highlights BRAFA 2026

Vienna 1900 – From the Secession to the Salon
For BRAFA 2026, FLORIAN KOLHAMMER – art since the turn of the 20th century presents a curated selection of rare design objects from the golden era of Vienna 1900 – with a special focus on original works that were exhibited at the seminal exhibitions of the Vienna Secession. The presentation brings together furniture and decorative objects that embody the intellectual and artistic energy of this period, where art, design, and architecture were reimagined as a unified whole.

Pair of Armchairs from the II. Secession Exhibition (1898)
Design: Joseph Maria Olbrich | Execution: Friedrich Otto Schmidt, Vienna, ca. 1898
Material/Technique: 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 Exposition 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.

For more highlights, download the pressrelease

BRAFA 2026 - Florian Kolhammer - Press release