Cruet Stand
1904/05
Medium
Silver and glass
Dimensions
Stand: H.: 17 cm (6 11/16 in.); 14.7 × 6.9 cm (5 13/16 × 2 5/16 in.); Bottles: H.: 9.9 cm (3 15/16 in.)
Classification
silver
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
69897
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The rigidly geometric form of this cruet stand is characteristic of the Wiener Werkstätte’s early production. The stand is one of a number of objects—including baskets, trays, vases, and even furniture—made from sheets of metal perforated with latticework patterns. Abandoning any reference to historical design, Werkstätte artists created simple but elegant forms they hoped would be consumed on a broad scale, bringing “good design” to the masses. Ultimately, though, Vienna’s intellectual elite, r...