Candle holder

Designer Josef Hoffmann Austrian
Manufacturer Wiener Werkstätte
ca. 1910
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 910
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

Object Information
  • 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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