Candle holder
Hoffman’s simple grid showcases the marquetry of precious wood and mother-of-pearl. This candle holder belongs to a desk set (MMA 1977.72.1ab–5) that is an early example of a modernist aesthetic based on geometry rather than natural elements, a formal conceit that spanned various scales, from buildings to ink pads. The basic volumes and shapes of the set suggest mini-architecture, or an urban landscape.
Artwork Details
- Title: Candle holder
- Designer: Josef Hoffmann (Austrian, Pirnitz 1870–1956 Vienna)
- Manufacturer: Wiener Werkstätte
- Date: ca. 1910
- Medium: Wood, mother-of-pearl, ebony, silver, suede
- Dimensions: 4 3/16 × 1 3/4 × 1 3/4 in., 0.4 lb. (10.6 × 4.4 × 4.4 cm, 0.2 kg)
- Classification: Woodwork
- Credit Line: Purchase, Anonymous Gift, 1977
- Object Number: 1977.72.4ab
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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