A monumental silver and gemstone-encrusted cabinet acquired by the Dallas Museum of Art in 2013, the Wittgenstein Vitrine is one of the most important works—and the largest, most complex commission in silver—produced by the Austrian firm Wiener Werkstätte. The print catalogue weaves together a fascinating portrait of the vitrine, examining the powerful Wittgenstein family and exploring how the vitrine came to symbolize the debate over ornamentation as it shaped the very definition of Viennese modernity in the 20th century. A fascinating essay also documents the complicated restoration of the vitrine to its original magnificence.
Available in the DMA store
An expanded online version of the catalogue examines Vienna during its apogee of artistic ferment, and social and cultural currents of the period.