Berlin: Reichstag Building (Reichstagsgebäude)

Art Historical Context

In 1911, Gustav Kalhammer, a designer affiliated with the renowned Wiener Werkstätte, captured the iconic Reichstag Building in through this delicate color lithograph. The Wiener Werkstätte, a Vienna-based collective founded in 1903 championed the Gesamtkunst ideal—uniting art, craft, and design in high-quality objects inspired by Jugendstil (Austrian Art Nouveau).hammer's print reflects this ethos, rendering the grand neoclassical architecture of the Reichstag—Germany's parliamentary seat since 1894—with precise lines and vibrant hues, evoking the bustling energy of Wilhelmine-era Berlin. Measuring just 5½ × 3⅝ inches, this intimate sheet likely served as a souvenir or portfolio piece, showcasing lithography's versatility for affordable, colorful reproductions. The technique, perfected in the 19th century, allowed artists like Kalhammer to layer rich tones, highlighting the Reichstag's dome and pediments against a dynamic sky. Produced on the eve of World War I, it symbolizes imperial Germany's architectural pride and cultural exchange between Vienna and Berlin. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this work invites reflection on how graphic arts bridged Europe's progressive design movements, preserving a snapshot of pre-war grandeur.

About the Artist

Gustav Kalhammer|Wiener Werkstätte · 1886–1919

Austrian, Vienna 1886–1919/20 (?) Vienna|