Essentially dubbed the Frank Llyoyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, Adolf Loos possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture, and wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture.
The son of a stonemason and sculptor, Loos was born in 1870 in what is now Brno in the Czech Republic. He studied architecture in Dresden in 1889, completed a year of military service and moved to the United States by 1893. He visited the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and came to appreciate the American approach to design over his three-year stay before returning to Vienna.
An avid proponent of simplicity, Loos hated fluff above all else. In his best known essay, “Ornament and Crime,” he states “the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use” — a principle evident in both his architectural work and furniture. His writing was profoundly influential for practitioners of the International Style that would emerge later as well as the likes of prolific Swiss-born French architect and modernist prophet Le Corbusier.
Loos challenged the prevailing architecture and decorating styles of his time, and disliked the ornate work associated with the Vienna Secession and Gesamtkunstwerk — the concept of a house as total work of art — an ideal pursued by a collective born from the Secession called the Wiener Werkstätte. To Loos, design should prioritize function, and any ornamentation devoid of a structural purpose was childish and unnecessary.
Loos’s furniture — alongside the work of fellow Austrian architect Josef Hoffman — was the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts in 2014. His architecture projects, including the Viennese Goldman and Salatsch building, the Austrian Steiner House and the Villa Müller in Prague, are celebrated by design enthusiasts all over the world.
Find vintage Adolf Loos seating, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Adolf Loos Jugendstil Opaline Glass and Brass Pendant, Re Edition
By Adolf Loos, Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
Ceiling light with opaline glass shade, different sizes, comes as well as a downlight Total drop custom made All components according to the UL regulations, with an additional char...
Brass
Adolf Loos for the Anglo Austrian Bank Vienna Chandelier Jugendstil re Edition
By Adolf Loos, Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
The Anglo-Austrian bank, founded 1864 with British capital, was an Austrian Bank in Vienna. In 1913, the bank had 43 branches. In 1914, Adolf Loos was commissioned with the renovatio...
Brass
Adolf Loos Secession Jugendstil Glass and Brass Lantern Chandelier Re-Edition
By Woka Lamps, Adolf Loos
Located in Vienna, AT
Sensational design at the begin of the modern architecture. An original photo with the model# 1446 could be found in the archive of Friedrich Otto Schmidt (FOS). Adolf Loos has had c...
Brass
Adolf Loos Jugendstil Chandelier for the Anglo/Austrian Bank Vienna, Re-Edition
By Adolf Loos, Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
The Anglo-Austrian Bank, founded 1864 with british capital, was an austrian Bank in Vienna. In 1913, the bank had 43 branches. In 1914, Adolf Loos was commissioned with the renovati...
Brass
Jugendstil lantern by Adolf Loos
By Adolf Loos
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Lamp in cubic shape with cutted glass and bronze connections designed by Adolf Loos circa 1915.
Brass
Pair of Art Deco Italian Opaline Glass and Brass Pendants, 1950-1959
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A pair of Italian hand blown opaline globe pendants, burnished brass mounts, chain and canopy, 1950-1959. European wiring with a single brass and porcelain Edison E-27 light socket ...
Brass
$11,699 / item
H 39.38 in W 31.5 in D 15.75 in
Adolf Loos Jugendstil Brass & Silk Chandelier "Dinner" with a Pulley, Re-Edition
By Woka Lamps, Adolf Loos
Located in Vienna, AT
Chandelier in several variation used by Adolf Loos, the height of the chandelier is to extend with a pulley Most components according to the UL regulations, with an additional charg...
Brass
$5,358
H 34 in W 20 in D 20 in
French Art Nouveau Jugendstil Brass Glass Four-Light Chandelier, 1900-1910
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
One of kind Art Nouveau period brass and cut glass four-light chandelier, France, 1900-1910. Richly elaborate gilt brass with wonderful detailing and green glass panels adorning eac...
Crystal, Brass
Pair of Italian Midcedntury Brass Opaline Glass Pendant, 1950s
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A pair of Mid-Century hand-blown opaline glass pendant lights with brass gallery, Italy circa 1950s. Large opaline glass ball with brass shade holder with pierced details for light projection, beautiful brass chain and canopy...
Brass
Adolf Loos Pendant Lamp for VeArt Opal Glass Gold Brass Art Deco, circa 1970
By Adolf Loos, VeArt
Located in Vienna, AT
Adolf Loos pendant lamp for VeArt, produced circa 1970 Rare Re-edition of the original design by Adolf Loos from circa 1910. Large 16" Elegant hand blown glass globe worked into a s...
Metal
Austrian Art Nouveau Brass and Glass Dodekaeder Lamp by Adolf Loos
By Adolf Loos, Friedrich Otto Schmidt
Located in Vienna, AT
Original and rare Viennese Art Nouveau brass Dodekaeder pendant light designed by Adolf Loos, produced ca 1900 by Friedrich Otto Schmidt. It features beautiful facetted cut pentagon ...
Brass
$3,588 / item
H 9.85 in W 6.3 in D 6.3 in
Josef Hoffmann Jugendstil Vienna Secessionist Lantern Pende, Re-Edition
By Josef Hoffmann, Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
This type of lamp was used by Josef Hoffmann in his best and puristic phase, two years before the founding of the historical Wiener Werkstaette for several houses: Hohe Warte Hennebe...
Brass
$5,800 / set
H 14.17 in Dm 11.81 in
Adolf Loos Pair Pendant Lamps for VeArt Opal Glass Gold, circa 1960
By Adolf Loos, VeArt
Located in Vienna, AT
Pair of Adolf Loos pendant lamps for VeArt opal glass gold, circa 1960. Sold as a pair. Rare Reedition of the original design by Adolf Loos for VeArt, Italy. Priced per pair. Measur...
Metal
Large art deco chandelier attr. to Adolf Loos
By Adolf Loos
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Large art deco chandelier with opaline glass lampshades attr. to Adolf Loos. Professionally stained and repolished.
Chrome
$11,900 / item
H 32.5 in Dm 14.5 in
French Modern Neoclassical Style Brass and Blown Glass Chandeliers/ Lanterns
Located in New York, NY
Elegant and Timeless French Mid-century style Modern Neoclassical lanterns / pendants / chandeliers. Sober, tasteful with the highest quality materials and workmanship, handcrafted g...
Brass
Austrian 1940s Golden Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful 1940s Austrian brass and custard glass chandelier. The fixture has swooping arms holding wonderful blown glass custard shades with ruffled edges.
Brass
Amazing Large Pendant Lamp by Adolf Loos for Kalmar
By Wiener Werkstätte, Kalmar Lighting, Florian Schulz, Adolf Loos, Josef Hoffmann
Located in München, DE
Very rare and large pendant lamp by Adolf Loos from the 1950s. The high-quality materials, such as the new seagrass lampshade, make this lamp a unique design object. It creates a ver...
Brass
Sold
H 57.09 in Dm 10.24 in
Pair of Hexagonal Brass Beveled Glass Chandeliers After Adolf Loos, Italy 1950s
By Adolf Loos
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous pair of hexagonal pendant lights in solid brass and bevelled glasses. This elegant and distinctive pair was designed in Italy during the 1950s, inspired by the work of Adol...
Metal, Brass
Sold
H 29.73 in W 20.48 in D 19.69 in
Austrian Art Nouveau Mahogany and Wicker Corner Chair by Adolf Loos
By Adolf Loos
Located in Vienna, AT
This model was used by Adolf Loos in the Hugo Haberfeld apartement (1899) and the Grete Hentschel residental studio (1914). It is exhibited in the MAK Museum in Vienna as in other mu...
Wicker, Mahogany
Sold
H 31.5 in Dm 11.42 in
Adolf Loos Art Nouveau Brass and Beveled Glass Pendant Light for Knize, 1905
By Adolf Loos
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Secessionist Vienna (Sezession, Secessionsstil or Jugendstil) period and style pendant and beveled glass suspension fixture attributed to the Austro-Czech architect and designer Adol...
Brass