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Josef Hoffmann Loveseats

Austrian, 1870-1956

The Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann was a central figure in the evolution of modern design, and a leader in an aesthetic movement born in Europe in the late 19th century that rejected florid, extravagant ornamentation in favor of a new emphasis on simplicity of line.

As a founder of the Vienna Secession — a union of artists and designers determined to upend Austria’s artistic conservatism — and later, a founder of the turn-of-the-century Wiener Werkstätte (in English: the Viennese Workshops), a design cooperative that produced superbly crafted furniture and housewares, Hoffmann was a pioneering practitioner of what would become a fundamental principle of modernism: that good design is a way of life.

Hoffmann came of age amidst a shift in the culture of the applied arts, as a conservative order that looked only to the past for inspiration was pushed aside. But what, exactly, would replace that order was in question — and Hoffmann’s career embodies the developing patterns of design’s new spirit. His architectural work reflects his time as a student of the Vienna architect Otto Wagner, who disdained excessive decoration and employed new materials such as steel girders and reinforced concrete to create buildings with airy, open interiors full of light.

As a designer of furniture and interiors, Hoffmann was consistently open-minded about the aesthetics he explored. He was an early adherent of the flowing, organic forms of the Art Nouveau design movement that began to flourish in the late 1880s — but by the opening of the Wiener Werkstätte in 1903, Hoffmann’s designs embraced the beauty of geometry in pieces that feature grids and angular forms.

Hoffmann’s greatest works reflect his ability to combine seemingly conflicting design visions into coherent wholes. His architectural masterpiece, the Stoclet Palace in Brussels, has an exterior that groups together simple geometric forms and spacious interiors marked by subtly naturalistic design details that lend rooms an air of charm and geniality.

Hoffmann’s signature furniture design is an adjustable lounge chair — the Sitzmaschine (1905) — that marries a curving frame with square and rectangular back- and side rests. This piece, like so many others by Hoffmann, reflects a groundbreaking, forward-thinking appreciation for the union of different looks and sources that marks the best of interior design in our own day. Moreover, items offered on 1stDibs — which range from enameled silver jewelry, to silver flower vase baskets and other decorative objects, to sofas, lighting pendants and sconces — testify to the astonishing breadth of Hoffman’s creative pursuits. He was truly a giant of design.

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Creator: Josef Hoffmann
Jugendstil Black Beech Grey Vintage Small Bench Josef Hoffmann circa 1905 Vienna
Jugendstil Black Beech Grey Vintage Small Bench Josef Hoffmann circa 1905 Vienna

Jugendstil Black Beech Grey Vintage Small Bench Josef Hoffmann circa 1905 Vienna

By Josef Hoffmann

Located in Vienna, AT

Jugendstil black beech grey suede leather small bench designed by Josef Hoffmann circa 1905, Vienna. A gorgeous small bench with a black stained solid beechwood frame, while the cove...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Josef Hoffmann Loveseats

Materials

Suede, Beech

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Josef Hoffmann loveseats for sale on 1stDibs.

Josef Hoffmann loveseats are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Josef Hoffmann loveseats, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original loveseats by Josef Hoffmann were created in the Art Nouveau style in europe during the 20th century. Prices for Josef Hoffmann loveseats can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,800 and can go as high as $10,501, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,651.
Questions About Josef Hoffmann Loveseats
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 7, 2024
    Josef Hoffmann invented the Sitzmaschine, an adjustable lounge chair that the Austrian designer unveiled in 1905. Literally called a “machine for sitting,” it was originally created for a sanatorium in Purkersdorf, near Vienna. It has a curving frame with square and rectangular back and side rests. Like so many other designs by Hoffmann, this piece reflects a forward-thinking appreciation for the union of different sources, here the Arts and Crafts movement and modern design. Find a collection of Josef Hoffmann furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.