FLORIAN KOLHAMMER - art since the turn of the 20th century
About us
Jugendstil, Art Deco, mid-century design, furniture and decorative arts
Located in the heart of Vienna, next to the famous St. Stephens cathedral, Florian Kolhammer's gallery has been a well-established centre of European art since the turn of the 20th century. Objects by the Wiener Werkstätte and Bohemian glass by Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser and other world-famous designers are displayed on important pieces of Viennese and German furniture. Florian Kolhammer is one of the world's leading experts in the field of glass by the Loetz glassworks and the Werkstätte Hagenauer Wien. Personal service and full customer satisfaction are top priorities for Florian Kolhammer and his team. They pay special attention to individual and competent advice when building or expanding their customers’ art collections.
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desk with armchair Hans Bolek August Ungethüm 1913
The furniture in this extraordinary study was designed in 1913 by Hans Bolek, an extremely talented student of the legendary Josef Hoffmann, and was impressively presented at the renowned Winter Exhibition of the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry (ÖMKI) in 1913/1914, together with a living room. The masterful craftsmanship was carried out by August Ungethüm, who was also trained under Hoffmann and was known for his excellent craftsmanship. International interior design magazines and daily newspapers praised the room at the time for its groundbreaking style and craftsmanship, which brought it attention and recognition far beyond Austria's borders. The entire study was purchased on November 6, 1913, by the then Minister of Public Works, Baron Ottokar Trnka von Laberon, further underscoring its high cultural and political value. Hans Bolek's work during his training period comprises only a few complete room furnishings, which makes this ensemble an exceptionally rare and art-historically significant testimony to Viennese Art Nouveau. The furniture is characterized by a clear, elegant design that was strongly influenced by Josef Hoffmann's style. Particularly noteworthy is the harmonious combination of strictly geometric forms with flowing floral elements— two seemingly contradictory styles that Bolek brought into aesthetic harmony with particular sensitivity and skill. This stylistic synthesis emphasizes the Viennese Art Nouveau's pursuit of a combination of aesthetic purity, decorative expressiveness, and functional clarity.
side table Joseph Maria Olbrich & Josef Hoffmann ca. 1900
This elegant Secessionist side table was created around 1900 through the collaboration of two influential artists of Viennese Modernism: Joseph Maria Olbrich and Josef Hoffmann. The design of the table's body by Olbrich was first published in 1899 in "Ideen von Olbrich." The characteristic ornament was originally designed by Hoffmann as a decorative frieze for the fifth Secession Exhibition and documented in the magazine "Ver Sacrum" (1900). It is highly probable that this furniture piece was speciall created for this exhibition. Particularly noteworthy are the original design drawing by Olbrich and the ornament by Hoffmann. The exceptional quality and characteristic fittings strongly suggest production by the renowned Viennese art furniture workshop Portois & Fix, famous for numerous designs associated with the Vienna Secession, predominantly by Hoffmann.
showcase table Hans Bolek August Ungethüm 1913
The furniture in this extraordinary study was designed in 1913 by Hans Bolek, an extremely talented student of the legendary Josef Hoffmann, and was impressively presented at the renowned Winter Exhibition of the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry (ÖMKI) in 1913/1914, together with a living room. The masterful craftsmanship was carried out by August Ungethüm, who was also trained under Hoffmann and was known for his excellent craftsmanship. International interior design magazines and daily newspapers praised the room at the time for its groundbreaking style and craftsmanship, which brought it attention and recognition far beyond Austria's borders. The entire study was purchased on November 6, 1913, by the then Minister of Public Works, Baron Ottokar Trnka von Laberon, further underscoring its high cultural and political value. Hans Bolek's work during his training period comprises only a few complete room furnishings, which makes this ensemble an exceptionally rare and art-historically significant testimony to Viennese Art Nouveau. The furniture is characterized by a clear, elegant design that was strongly influenced by Josef Hoffmann's style. Particularly noteworthy is the harmonious combination of strictly geometric forms with flowing floral elements— two seemingly contradictory styles that Bolek brought into aesthetic harmony with particular sensitivity and skill. This stylistic synthesis emphasizes the Viennese Art Nouveau's pursuit of a combination of aesthetic purity, decorative expressiveness, and functional clarity.
oil painting "Ein Regentag" Rudolf Quittner ca. 1904
Born in 1872, Impressionist Rudolf Quittner was an Austrian landscape and genre painter who was a virtuoso at capturing the effects of air and light on canvas. He first studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and later became a student at the Académie Julian in Paris, where he focused intensively on landscape painting. Quittner was a student of Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley and was not only inspired by Claude Monet, but also promoted by him. He traveled throughout almost all of Europe, the Orient, and North America for study purposes and, beginning in 1901, lived in Paris during the summer and spent his winters in Vienna. Rudolf Quittner exhibited at the Biennale di Venezia, in the Vienna Künstlerhaus and at the most important art fairs of his time in Paris, Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf and Dresden. His paintings were well received by the art critics and journalists of his time and his works are now exhibited in museums such as the Belvedere and the Wien Museum. This painting demonstrates Quittner's talent and the influence of his dual training in a particularly impressive way. While the sky and water surface are masterfully captured on canvas in the tradition of the great French Impressionists, the tree and meadow are painted entirely in the unique style of the Viennese Secession. Both elements merge into a masterful whole in this work, creating a unique and wonderful work of art.
Table model Fledermaus Josef Hoffmann Thonet ca. 1912
One of the most iconic furniture classics of the turn of the century was designed by Josef Hoffmann and his pupil Gustav Siegel for the furniture manufacturer J.& J. Kohn in 1905: The “728” series as part of the epochal “Fledermaus” furniture range. They lent this furniture the simple elegance of the time and placed it in sharp contrast to the heavy furniture of the late 19th century. Form follows function: the only decoration is the slender, round legs and the cones between them, which give the table its unmistakable silhouette. The fine polish emphasizes the natural grain of the wood to create an independent ornament. Individual chairs from the series were exhibited the following year at the international art exhibition in Milan (1906). Although the official model name is not “Fledermaus”, it has become established both in specialist circles and in general usage. It stems from the fact that Josef Hoffmann used these models as part of the furnishings for the legendary “Cabaret Fledermaus” around 1907. The “Fledermaus” ensemble was so popular that architect Otto Schönthal chose it for the stylish furnishings of the exhibition café on the occasion of the famous art show in 1908. The series was so successful that it remained an integral part of the production program even after the takeover of J. & J. Kohn by Mundus AG. Depending on production capacity, the same model was also produced by the furniture manufacturer Thonet, which later merged with Mundus AG. marked "THONET" and original sales label partially conserved; Bib.: comp. Giovanni Renzi, "Il mobile moderno", Silvana Editoriale Spa, Milano 2008, p. 169 and p. 242-243 Beech wood, bent, stained and polished
Oil painting Jean Dufy Still Life with Bouquet of Flowers 1927 signed and dated
Jean Dufy was born in Le Havre, France, into an extremely artistically talented family. He sold his first works of art at the Cercle de l'Art Moderne in 1907 and moved to Paris after his military service in 1912. There he moved in the artistic circles of Montmartre and was acquainted with Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso and André Derain, among others. His pictorial language is characterized above all by a cheerful, luminous colorfulness. Jean Dufy's works can be seen in important collections and museums worldwide, such as the Albertina in Vienna, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the MOMA in New York. Works with floral still lifes are rare in his oeuvre. The composition is masterful; the brushstrokes are strong and vivid. signed "Jean Dufy" and dated "27"; Expertise by Jacques Baily; will be included in the supplementary volume of the catalog raisonné oil on canvas
Jugendstil panel "Nymp at the Fountain" Georg Klimt ca. 1900
In the art world, the name “Klimt” is inextricably linked with the period around 1900, Viennese Jugendstil and the Vienna Secession. Today, Gustav Klimt is considered one of the most important artists in the world, but his youngest brother, the craftsman Georg Klimt, was also a master of his trade. Although a closer look at Georg Klimt's oeuvre reveals clear elements of the Vienna Secession and Glasgow School, his works are characterized by a fascinating independence and diversity that still inspires us today. Georg Klimt's work is a wonderful example of how members of the art world around 1900 interacted and inspired each other. During his curatorial and artisanal work for the Vienna Secession, of which, bizarrely, he was never a member, he came into contact with Charles R. Ashbee, Archibald Knox, the MacNair sisters, Margerete MacDonald Mackintosh, Franz von Stuck and others. While his works also include everyday objects such as book covers, furniture applications and clock hands, his true genius is revealed in his hand-chased metal reliefs, which he created either as independent works of art or as decorations for pieces of furniture and wall paneling. Although many of these objects no longer exist in their original form, the reliefs taken from them have been preserved. Framed as individual works, they can unfold their impressive effect even more. Klimt's feeling for curves and proportions, his allegorical, mostly mythical depictions and his masterly skill in metalworking lend his works a unique charm. The inspiration of the symbolist painter Franz von Stuck is particularly evident in this panel. Based on the motif compositions of the famous artist, Klimt created an antique scene. An homage to Symbolism and the influence of antiquity on the young, revolutionary art movement. comp. Belvedere Museum Vienna, inventory no. 10862 copper, chased and patinated
Head sculpture Franz Hagenauer Werkstätte Hagenauer Wien late 1970s
Our head sculpture, just over half a meter high and made of brass, is a classic example of the formal language and style of Prof. Franz Hagenauer's late oeuvre. The staging, which deviates from three-dimensionality, and its abstract geometry are typical. The strictly reduced male head is an indomitable eye-catcher in any interior and radiates a timeless elegance. marked ,,wHw" in the circle, "HAGENAUER/WIEN" and "FRANZ" (under the plinth) and "FRANZ", "wHW" in the cirlce and "HAGENAUER/WIEN" (at the base); Bib.: archive of the Werkstätte Hagenauer, Museum for Applied Arts, Vienna, photograph, inventory number: KI HAF 1074, model 1040. brass, cast, soldered, nickel-plated and polished