Table, Model No. 1298 for the Fledermaus Cabaret, c. 1907

Over a span of two years, under the directorship of Egon Friedell (1878–1938), the “Fledermaus” Cabaret in downtown Vienna was an important stage for texts and librettos of some of the most renowned writers of Viennese modernist literature. The interior design of the club, opened 1907 and sold only six years later, was one of Josef Hoffmann’s (1870–1956) best known interior decoration projects, which a number of other Wiener Werkstätte artists also contributed to; particularly well-known are the colorful tiles by Bertold Löffler (1874–1960) and Michael Powolny (1871–1954) (Vienna Ceramics), covering, up to head height, the walls of the foyer, which accommodated a buffet and a coat check. Another trademark design element of the establishment were the easily movable seating elements with their rounded corners; as in the tables of around 1909, the wooden balls sitting next to the upper ends of the table legs—a frequent characteristic of Hoffmann’s furniture designs at the time—were both screw knobs and discreet decorative elements.

IR, 2021