Armchair, c. 1901

In the course of his teaching activities at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts, Koloman Moser (1868–1918) further extended his network of Austrian manufacturers and producers. Among his new contacts were the bentwood furniture producers J. & J. Kohn, with whom he would cooperate until 1906, creating numerous items of furniture using the bentwood technique, including his Parlor Cabinet which was shown in 1902 in an arts-and-crafts exhibition in Turin together with this armchair. As with the parlor cabinet, the dominant shape is the square, which appears in the backrest and the two side elements made from unbroken wood. The metal rivets on the side show where the seating surface is bolted to the side panels. Thus, the clear tectonic structure, which is characteristic for Moser’s furnishings, is made visible.

MTh, 2021