Viennese Silver: Modern Design, 1780-1918

October 17, 2003
- February 16, 2004

This groundbreaking exhibition presents objects that, through their refined functionalism and abstracted geometric form, anticipated the breakthroughs of Modernism. On display are more than 180 extraordinary objects of daily use. Comparing early nineteenth-century works with examples of twentieth-century design, it offers a fascinating look at Vienna's contribution to the development of modern decorative arts.

The exhibition begins with pieces commissioned by Hapsburg royalty and proceeds to trace the development of the Biedermeier and Wiener Werkstätte traditions. It concludes with objects by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser, who brought Viennese silvermaking to new aesthetic heights. Viennese Silver is on view from October 17, 2003, to February 16, 2004. It has been organized in cooperation with the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it will open in November 2004.