ERWIN STOLZ* (Kyselka 1896 - 1987 Vienna)

ERWIN STOLZ*
(Kyselka 1896 - 1987 ...

ERWIN STOLZ*
(Kyselka 1896 - 1987 Vienna)
Archer
indian ink/paper, 21,5 x 17 cm
Provenance: estate of the artist, private property Vienna

ESTIMATE °€ 800 - 1.500

Austrian architect, interior designer, craftsman and designer. Along with Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos, is considered the most important architect of the 20th century in Austria. Studied architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts under Otto Wagner. In 1895, with Josef Maria Olbrich, Carl Otto Czeschka, Koloman Moser and Leo Kainradl, member of the Club of Seven. Founded the Vienna Secession in 1987 with Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Maria Olbrich, Maximilian Kurzweil, Josef Engelhart, Ernst Stöhr, Wilhelm List, Adolf Hölzel as a split from the Künstlerhaus. 1899 to 1936 professor at the Vienna School of Applied Arts. Founded the Wiener Werkstätte with Kolo Moser in 1903. 1912 founding member of the Wiener Werkbund. Designed many exhibitions, co-founder of the Kunstschau. Initially influenced by French Art Noveau, later influenced by Scottish architect Mackintosh and the British Arts and Crafts Movement. Interested in the implementation of spatial art and the idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk. Architectural designs for, among others, Sanatorium Purkersdorf 1903, Palais Stoclet in Brussels 1905-1911, interior design Cabaret Fledermaus 1909, Villa Skywa-Primavesi 1913-1915, Austria Pavilion for Cologne Werkbundsiedlung 1914, Austria Pavilion Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Paris 1925. Also created designs for interiors, furniture, tables, chairs, boxes, display cases, fabrics, tableware, cutlery, lamps, chandeliers, vases, decorations, etc.

The present pen and ink drawings are particularly impressive and effective, in which Stolz completely discarded the coloring in favor of a radical black-and-white aesthetic. The leaves are characterized by their ornamental-decorative appeal and their mystical-symbolic depth. The thought arises that the artist was inspired by material from the world of legends or mythology in the design of this group of works with an apparently narrative character, which deals with an archer conceived as a naked youth and a swan in a dreamlike, strange Arcadian landscape. The “Archer” stretches his bow in front of a floral background draped in an art nouveau decorative manner.