Josef Hoffmann – New Acquisitions

Late last year, the Moravian Gallery in Brno acquired a unique collection of glass designed by Josef Hoffmann, a native of Brtnice and one of history's most renowned architects and designers. These artifacts will soon enrich the permanent exhibition of the Josef Hoffmann Museum. Architect Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956) influenced the development of architecture and applied arts in many ways. In this regard, he is a foundational figure in these fields for the entire 20th century. He was a man of great talent, and his work is characterized by a rare understanding of the possibilities of materials, coupled with the ability to give them the best possible form for their expression. This was, of course, reflected in his glass designs. One of the exceptionally interesting parts of his work involves glass where he highlights the purity of the material in simple shapes without any additional decoration, with the exception of sometimes iridescent surfaces, which rather emphasize the overall impression of refined simplicity. These glasses were designed around the time of the First World War, and their morphology clearly shows inspiration from Venetian glass of the Renaissance. Mostly, these were designs for the Wiener Werkstätte or for the company J. & L. Lobmeyr from Vienna. The absence of decorations is quite unique, not only in the contemporary context but also in a broader historical one; these were glasses mostly intended for the cultivated environment of artistically educated upper classes. Conversely, a wider range of potential customers at this time preferred more ornate items. A turning point occurred later in the 1930s with the acceptance of functionalism. Hoffmann's glasses thus in many respects were ahead of their time, and perhaps that is why, even after more than a hundred years, they speak to us in a contemporary artistic language where the chasm of time seems to disappear.