Bowl c. 1905

Editor: This stunning "Bowl," created around 1905 by Otto Prutscher, really catches the eye. The glass is decorated with geometric patterns, a radiant series of lines in deep blue. How does its design reflect its historical context? Curator: This piece beautifully illustrates the tension of the Art Nouveau period. The bowl's geometric design pushes against the florid, organic forms typically associated with the style. Its material, glass, and method of production would have been central to its appeal for its original consumers. Consider the rising middle class eager to display their access to both traditional craftsmanship and newly industrialized processes. Editor: So, the bowl represents more than just a decorative object; it tells a story about societal shifts? Curator: Precisely! Prutscher is playing with these ideas of industrial and natural. He gives us geometric rigidity by creating the circular lines. Do you notice how that division makes you think about mechanization of art, and production? It’s a bowl, an everyday object. Was it handmade, or factory produced? If handmade, was that the result of specialized training, which made art a commodity for the upper class? Editor: I see what you mean! It’s no longer simply about beauty; it's also a reflection on labor and value. This has made me see that it’s not as simple and austere as it looks. Curator: Exactly. And by bringing this dialogue to light, hopefully more patrons of the arts can think critically about materiality when seeing objects from now on. Editor: Definitely! I will be approaching similar bowls with new appreciation for the processes, material and labor behind them!