As both a designer and a teacher, the Austrian ceramicist and glassware designer Michael Powolny was an important figure in the development of modernist aesthetics in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. His romantic sculptural pottery figures embrace the lush, dynamic stylings of Gustav Klimt and other progressive artists, while his functional pieces — such as glass bowls and vases — employ the simple linear and geometric ornamentation that marked the work of Josef Hoffmann and other members of the Wiener Werkstätte community of designers and craftsmen.
Powolny received classical training in ceramics from his father, a potter, and at the Vienna School of Applied Arts, but later joined in the modernizing movement in the Austrian arts at the close of the 19th century. In 1897, Klimt, Hoffman, Koloman Moser and other artists and architects founded the Vienna Secession, a group that fought for freedom of expression against the city’s tradition-bound arts establishment. Powolny’s work reflects the changing times. He used classical figures in his ceramics — female nudes, cherubs — yet would dress them in modern ornament such as garlands of abstract, geometric flowers. Pieces from Powolny’s ceramics company were sold through the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Workshops) founded by Hoffmann and Moser, and Hoffman later hired Powolny to create ceramic ornamentation for his architectural masterpiece, the Palais Stoclet in Brussels.
Powolny would go on to design glassware that combines elegant, tapering forms with precise linear decoration. His most influential work may have come as a professor at the School of Applied Arts, where he taught both Lucie Rie, the great Austrian-British modernist ceramicist, and the American potter Viktor Schreckengost, creator of the “Jazz Bowl,” an icon of the Streamline Moderne design. As you will see from the items on offer, Michael Powolny’s works have a double appeal: in their sprightly, endearing forms and as artifacts that document a period of signal change in the history of modern arts and crafts.
$1,128Sale Price|20% Off
Bohemian Loetz Red Tango Glass Vase w. Black Accents by Michael Powolny
By Loetz Glass, Michael Powolny
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This antique Art Nouveau art glass vase by Michael Powolny for Loetz is an impressive and highly sought-after art piece from the early 20th cen...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Michael Powolny Ribbed Glass Vase, Loetz Design, Austria, 1918-1919
By Michael Powolny, Loetz Glass
Located in Klosterneuburg, AT
This elegant object of the Loetz glassworks was produced immediately after the First World War, in the years 1918- 1919. Although stylistic as well as technical recourse to past tech...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
$2,840 / set
H 13.38 in W 3.75 in D 3.75 in
Loetz Bohemian Glass Art Nouveau Tulip Vases Pair Iridescent Green/Red c. 1880s
By Loetz Glass
Located in Glenford, NY
Rare early pair of Loetz Bohemian Glass Vases in a graceful Tulip Motif made by Johann Loetz Witwe in the 1880s. Green and rich red color with silver and blue iridescent highlights s...
Glass
Federzeichnung Octopus Vase by Loetz
By Loetz Glass
Located in New Orleans, LA
This important Federzeichnung, which translates to pen drawing, glass vase by Loetz features the “octopus” motif. Distinguished by an intricate scrolling air-trap design and external...
Art Glass
Rounded Papillion Vase by Loetz
By Loetz Glass
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exquisite vase belongs to Loetz's prestigious Papillon collection and is identified as the 7724 form. Renowned for its captivating color palette, this piece showcases a striking...
Art Glass
Vase Loetz Widow Art Nouveau Phaenomen Gre Silver Overlay, circa 1900
By Loetz Glass
Located in Vienna, AT
Vase Loetz Widow Klostermuehle Bohemia Art Nouveau Made by Loetz, Klostermühle circa 1900 Decor: PHAENOMEN GRE & Gorgeous Silver Overlay This finest Loetz Art Nouveau ...
Silver
$2,585
H 9.45 in Dm 3.94 in
Loetz Art Nouveau Vase, Decor Cobalt Papillon, Austria-Hungary, Circa 1899
By Loetz Glass
Located in Vienna, AT
Exceptional Bohemian Art Nouveau glass vase: Mould blown into a slender, slightly bulbous vase body with a flush base, indented four times on the sides to form a four-sided cross-sec...
Glass
Early 20th Century Bohemian Glass "Titania Silvered Vase" by Johann Loetz
By Loetz Glass
Located in London, GB
A very beautiful Loetz Witwe glass vase with an attractive swirling pattern of deep blue and green (blau mit grün) colours applied with silver Art Nouveau motifs from the Titania ran...
Silver
Iridescent Glass Vase Attr. to Loetz, 1930s
By Loetz Glass
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage glass vase attr. to Loetz, realized in Austria in the early 20th Century. Excellent condition.
Art Glass
Loetz Silberiris Candia Iridescent Twin Handled Glass Vase
By Loetz Glass
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Stylish Bohemian Silberiris Candia iridescent glass vase with brown handles by Johann Loetz Witwe and dating from around 1900. The simply shaped vase ref PN 85/5151 in the Loetz cata...
Blown Glass
$2,173
H 6.78 in Dm 3.15 in
Pair Of Loetz Art Nouveau Single Vases, Ruby Papillon, Austria-Hungary, 1900
By Loetz Glass
Located in Vienna, AT
Two exquisite Bohemian Art Nouveau glass vases: Mould-blown bulbous lower section with a flush base, long narrow neck and straight rim, the bulbous section is rolled into four sections with vertical indentations. Shape: Series II Prod. no. PN 330 (old: 2766; 1890), year 1900 Decor: Ruby Papillon Ruby red underlaid, colorless glass with rolled-in silver yellow crumbs, model-blown and formed, reduced and iridescent. Vase manufactured by Loetz Widow, Klostermühle, Bohemia Dating of manufacture: 1900 Size: Height: 17,2 cm / 6.77 in Diameter: 8.0 cm / 3.14 in Bibliography: - LÖTZ, Böhmisches Glas / Bohemian Glass 1880-1940, Band 1 / Part 1, Work Monograph, Prestel-Verlag, Munich, 1989, page 91, nr. 50...
Glass
$4,465
H 6.82 in Dm 3.27 in
Loetz Art Nouveau Vase, Phenomen Genre 3/430 Metallic Red, Austria-Hungary, 1904
By Loetz Glass
Located in Vienna, AT
Mould blown baluster-shaped body with narrowing in the lower section, flared rim above a slight constriction, standing on a flush round base, ground and polished pontil. Form: Serie...
Glass
Loetz Glass Vase Pink and Orange Iridescent 1950s
By Loetz Glass
Located in Milano, MI
Iridescent orange and pink glass vase by Loetz, made in the 1950s. Ø cm 10 h cm 11 Loetz is a name that immediately evokes images of extraordinarily beautiful and refined blown gla...
Glass
Art Nouveau Loetz Glass Vase, Early 1900
By Loetz Glass
Located in Roma, IT
Art Nouveau Loetz Glass vase with Alvin Silver Overlay, realized in Austria in 1900/1910. Very good condition.
Art Glass
Michael Powolny Art Deco Tango Art Glass Scent Bottle
By Michael Powolny
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A striking Tango art glass scent bottle, possibly by Loetz applied with trailing designs attributed to renowned Austrian Sculptor, Ceramist and Designer Mich...
Blown Glass
Sold
H 5.79 in Dm 7.29 in
Loetz Art Nouveau Tango Vase, Execution 157 Opal-Black-Brown, Vienna ca 1914
By Loetz Glass, Michael Powolny
Located in Vienna, AT
Model blown body, curved, stepped, widening wall, connected to a flat, round base by a fused black nodus, mouth rim with wavy black outline, 16 red-brown threads vertically worked into the top layer, ground flat base ring, no pontil. The Loetz factory came into contact with the Viennese arts and crafts...
Glass
Michael Powolny Loetz Blue Piped Opaline Glass Vase
By Michael Powolny
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stunning Loetz opaline art glass vase of tall rounded shape applied with blue glass threads and piping around the rim designed by Michael Powo...
Blown Glass
Michael Powolny for Loetz Tango Piped Art Glass Vase, circa 1914
By Michael Powolny
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish Michael Powolny cased tango orange glass vase with black piping made by Loetz. The hand blown vase is of bulbous shape with moulded raised ribbing around the body and with ...
Art Glass
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H 7.5 in Dm 5.5 in
Michael Powolny for Loetz, Large Glass Vase, Hand Painted by Wilms, Art Nouveau
By Loetz Glass, Michael Powolny
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Ausfuhrung 170, pattern was made in the 1915 and was recognized by black lines and squares with flowers. Those pieces were hand decorated by father and son. Franz and Otto Wilms.
Glass
Vase by Michael Powolny, 1914
By Michael Powolny
Located in IT
A vase signed by Michael Powolny, artist of the Wiener Sezession, dated 1914. Opaline blown glass decorated with black stripes. Michael Powolny (September 18, 1871 – January 4, ...
Opaline Glass
Pair of Michael Powolny Loetz Vases, circa 1914-1915
By Michael Powolny, Johann Lötz Witwe
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Michael Powolny vases made by Loetz. One of tango orange tone with vertical black lines and rim. The other a translucent white tone with vertical black lines and rim. Both va...
Glass
Sold
H 12.2 in Dm 7.48 in
Michael Powolny Art Nouveau Cherub Clasping Tall Vase Model 319 Made circa 1913
By Michael Powolny
Located in Vienna, AT
Sculptured most lovely Art Nouveau cherub clasping tall vase of cornucopia type, modeled by Michael Powolny (1871-1954) Hallmarked: Manufactured by Wiener Keramik (= Viennese Cer...
Ceramic