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ONLINECOLLECTION

Small Pillbox, c. 1908

Leopold Museum,
Vienna
Metal gilded
2.5×5.7×5.7 cm

Artists

  • Josef Hoffmann

    (Pirnitz 1870–1956 Vienna)

  • Bertold Löffler

    (Nieder-Rosenthal [today: district of Liberec] 1874–1960 Vienna)

  • Wiener Werkstätte
Currently on display at OG4
The design of this small sweets tin or pillbox is owed to the creative synergy of two artists working for the Wiener Werkstätte, founded in 1903. The tin’s simple, round basic form was created by the architect and designer Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956). The motif of a putto riding a fish, however, was designed by the painter, graphic artist and designer Bertold Löffler (1874–1960) in 1909. It was used by the Wiener Werkstätte also for hatpins, belt buckles and hand mirrors, among other objects. Löffler chose a bead and reel design to frame his mythological scene. The tin was realized using silver or, as in the present case, non-ferrous metal. The execution was carried out by the Wiener Werkstätte.

Object data

Artist/author
  • Design: Josef Hoffmann
  • Design: Bertold Löffler
  • Execution: Wiener Werkstätte
Title
Small Pillbox
Date
c. 1908
Art movement
Wiener Werkstätte
Category
Arts and crafts
Material​/technique
Metal gilded
Dimensions
2.5×5.7×5.7 cm
Credit line
Leopold Museum, Vienna, Inv. 4329
Inventory access
Contributed to the Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung in 1994
Selection of Reference works
  • Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne, hrsg. von Hans-Peter Wipplinger, Wien 2019 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, ab 15.03.2019).
Keywords

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Provenance

Provenance research
Leopold Museum i
Dr. Rudolf Leopold, Wien (o.D.);
Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung, Wien (seit 1994).

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