Background
Löffler was born in Vienna, Austria, on September 28, 1874.
Oskar Kokoschka-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Berthold Löffler studied at the School of Arts and Crafts (now University of Applied Arts Vienna) from 1890 until 1900.
Berthold Löffler working.
Berthold Löffler.
artist historian graphic designer
Löffler was born in Vienna, Austria, on September 28, 1874.
Berthold Löffler studied at the school of the Gewerbemuseum (Craft Museum) in Reichenberg, in his native Bohemia, between 1888 and 1890. Then he moved to Vienna to study at the School of Arts and Crafts (now University of Applied Arts Vienna) from 1890 until 1900.
Starting from 1900 Löffler was self-employed. He was a pivotal figure in the later development of the Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop). It was the art and design collective established in 1903 by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser. The Workshop pursued the ideal of the Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork), a unification of artists and craftsmen of different areas to create a comprehensive lifestyle concept. The same year he was appointed an assistant to Anton Groll.
Berthold Löffler worked independently as a painter and illustrator and also started to experiment with ceramics. Together with his fellow-artist Michael Powolny, he founded the workshop Wiener Keramik (Vienna Ceramics) in 1905. The firm contributed tiles to the Wiener Werkstätte’s Palais Stoclet in Brussels between 1905 and 1911, and, around 1907, the Werkstätte assumed distribution and sales of Wiener Keramik. In 1908 Löffler became a co-founder of the Art Show and the Austrian Werkbund.
The artist was connected with the 1908 Kunstschau (Art Show). It highlighted the Wiener Werkstätte and the Klimtgruppe (Klimt Group), a group of artists that had broken away from the Secession. For this exhibition, Löffler created a display of contemporary graphics and an iconic poster. Besides, he produced postcards for the Werkstätte’s series of nearly one thousand numbered artists’ cards, in addition to Werkstätte jewelry and some other products.
The Keramik’s figurative pieces sold extremely well in the Werkstätte’s shops. The artist and the Keramik were also prominent contributors to the Werkstätte’s Cabaret Fledermaus in Vienna, designing the colourful patchwork of decorative tiles covering the walls of the barroom. Berthold Löffler produced a well-known poster for the Cabaret, as well as contributing graphics for its program and stationery, among other things. In the year 1912, the Wiener Keramik merged with the Künstlerische Werkstätte (Artistic Workshop) Franz und Emilie Schleiss in Gmunden, forming the Vereinigte Wiener und Gmundner Keramik und Tonwarenfabrik Schleiss Gesellschaft (United Vienna and Gmunden Ceramics and Gmunden Earthenware Factory Schleiss).
At the onset of World War I, Löffler served as a lieutenant of the reserve together with three photographers, intending to make nature studies on the southwestern front. On March 23, 1917, he became a war painter to the art group of the kuk Kriegspressequartier (KPQ), the post he occupied until February 15, 1918. Since April 1918, he served as a collection officer at the Army Museum in Trento. Study trips took him to Germany and Italy.
For the Wiener Werkstätte, Löffler designed postcards, posters, and calendars. In addition, Berthold Löffler also produced a series of ex-libris, including that for Sigmund Freud. By the way, it was created with an incorrect spelling of his name, Siegmund instead of Sigmund, however, this fact did not prevent Freud from using the bookplate. Moreover, Löffler was involved in numerous international exhibitions of paintings and graphic works.