Der Preis der Schönheit

The Wiener Werkstätte, founded in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser, became the trademark for art as well as arts and crafts in the twentieth century. The fascinating history of the Wiener Werkstätte is told in this beautifully designed volume, which features historic photographs (some of them published for the first time here), documents, and original texts selected by experts from the MAK (where the Wiener Werkstätte archives have been kept since 1955). Many full-page illustrations feature outstanding examples of Wiener Werkstätte objects, covering architecture, furniture, ceramics, glass, books, posters, postcards, carpets, jewelry, fashion, and print design. The book also focuses on the innovative "total concept" used by the avant-garde Wiener Werkstätte to establish an early "consumer culture," since the Werkstätte was one of the first organizations to develop a corporate identity that followed a product throughout every stage, from concept and development to marketing. (English edition ISBN 3-7757-1778-1) With a 28-page facsimile of the 1905 program of the Wiener Werkstätte. Exhibition schedule: Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, February 17-May 28, 2006