The Austrian Museum of Applied Arts and Contemporary Art, formerly known as the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry, was founded in 1864 on the initiative of Rudolf Eitelberger. It was initially located in the former Ballhaus where 2,000 artistic loans were presented, but in 1871, it moved to a building on Stubenring designed by Heinrich Ferstel in the style of the Florentine Renaissance. The annex in Weiskirchner street was added in 1906-1908 by Ludwig Baumann on a terrain won by the regulation of the small river Vienna.
The museum’s primary focus is on European craft objects from the Romanesque to the present, particularly glass and ceramics, metals, furniture and woodwork, textiles and carpets, along with an East Asian collection and products of the Wiener Werkstätte. It also boasts a library with art collections, a department for restoration, a graphic arts studio, and a photo lab. It has field offices in the Geymüllerschlössel (watch collection Sobek) and in Lower Austria. The editorial office of the magazine “Old and Modern Art” is also located in the museum.
Over the years, the museum has been directed by Rudolf Eitelberger, Jakob von Falke, Bruno Bucher, Arthur von Scala, Eduard Leisehnig, Hermann Trenkwald, August Schestag, Richard Ernst, Ignaz Schlosser, Viktor Griessmaier, Wilhelm Mrazek, Gerhard Egger, Herbert Fux, Ludwig Neustifter, Peter Noever, and Christoph Thun-Hohenstein.
The main building features massive glass-covered arcaded courtyard with 32 monolithic columns. The graffiti of the friezes of the main building was done by Karl Schönbrunner based on drawings by Ferdinand Laufberger and (in the middle risalit) Karl Karger. Majolica medallions with portraits of famous artists were made by Otto König and reliefs by Franz Melnitzky. A mirrored vault with a fresco by Laufberger stretches across the main staircase.
The museum is connected to the building of the School of Applied Arts, which Ferstel built in 1875-1877, by a connecting building with the Minerva fountain. At Weiskirchner street, a commemorative plaque is installed in memory of the Wiener Bürger who fell on August 12, 1461, in the successful defense against the attack of Albrecht VI, and the coat of arms improvement awarded to Vienna by Friedrich III as a result of this event: a golden double eagle on a black background, municipal coat of arms.
In conclusion, The Austrian Museum of Applied Arts and Contemporary Art is one of the most significant museums in Vienna, Austria. It has a remarkable collection of European and East Asian craft objects that date back to the Romanesque period. The museum has undergone many changes over the years, including relocations and changes in its primary focus. However, it remains committed to preserving and showcasing significant works of art and design for all to appreciate.
Posted by El Don Quijote de Viena on 2018-08-30 18:12:03