Background

Koloman Moser was born on March 30, 1868, in Vienna, Austria to Josef and Theresia Moser. His father was a school caretaker.

Education

After completing primary school, Moser studied drawing at the trade school in Wieden.

Then he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna from 1885 to 1892 and at the Vienna School of Applied Arts form 1893 to 1895.

Career

Koloman Moser began his career as an illustrator for the art journal "Meggendorfer Blatter". From 1899 till his death, he taught at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.

In 1901-1902, Moser published a portfolio titled "Die Quelle" ("The Source") of elegant graphic designs for such things as tapestries, fabrics, and wallpaper. His designs in architecture, furniture, jewelry, graphics, and tapestries helped characterize the work of this era. Moser drew upon the clean lines and repetitive motifs of classical Greek and Roman art and architecture in reaction to the Baroque decadence of his turn-of-the-century Viennese surroundings.

In 1903, Moser and his colleague Josef Hoffmann founded Wiener Werkstätte, whose studios and artisans produced a number of aesthetically and functionally designed household goods, including glassware, flatware, silverware, rugs, and textiles. In 1904, he created the Apse mosaic and glass windows for the Kirche am Steinhof in Vienna.

Besides, Moser was one of the designers for Austria's leading art journal "Ver Sacrum". He also created a series of stamps and banknotes.

In 1907 Moser, due to internal conflicts and as his plans for reorganizing the Werkstätte to cope with financial problems weren't realized, withdrew from the Wiener Werkstätte and devoted himself exclusively to painting. In 1911, the first exhibition of his painting was held at the Galerie Miethke in Vienna. During his career, Moser designed a wide array of artworks, including books and graphic works from postage stamps to magazine vignettes; fashion; stained glass windows, porcelains and ceramics, blown glass, tableware, silver, jewelry, and furniture.

Moser was diagnosed with incurable cancer of the larynx in 1916 and died on October 18, 1918, in Vienna, Austria.

Achievements

• Moser was best known as one of the foremost artists of the Vienna Secession movement and a co-founder of Wiener Werkstätte.
  
  One of his most prominent designs used in a building (The Steinhof Church) was selected as the main motif of one of the most famous euro collectors coins: the Austrian 100 euro Steinhof Church commemorative coin, minted on 9 November 2005.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Holy Spirit Church in Düsseldorf, design for the choir wall

    1907

  • Stage design for "The minutes of love" by Edward Bauersfeld

    1908

  • Designs for silver brooches

    1904

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

    1904

  • Allegory of Ver Sacrum, sketch of illustration to Ver Sacrum, 101 1898, p.1

    1897

  • Mermaid. Illustration for Jugendschatz German seals.

    1896

  • Holy Spirit Church in Düsseldorf, design for the entrance wall

    1907

  • Semmering Landscape

  • Pisces

    1904

  • The Rax

    1912

  • Postcard with Emperor Franz Josef

    1908

  • Draft drawings for the breakfast room of the apartment Eisler Terramare, proportion of study seat

    1903

  • Young woman with hat

    1913

  • Male Nude Study

    1888

  • Poster for "Prince Richard Metternich"

    1899

  • Portrait of a Woman in Profile

    1912

  • Hut in Leysin

    1913

  • Design for the anniversary stamp with Austrian Emperor Francis I

    1908

  • Drafts for the exlibris for Fritz Waerndorfer

    1903

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

    1904

  • Draft of furniture decoration for the bedroom of the apartment Eisler Terra Mare

    1902

  • Early spring. Illustration to a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

    1901

  • Backhausen Interior Texiles

    1899

  • Catalogue of the Austrian Exhibition in London

    1906

  • Church Am Steinhof, design for the east side windows

    1905

  • Exlibris for Otto Zuckerkandl

    1906

  • Stage design for "The minutes of love" by Edward Bauersfeld

    1908

  • Standing youth

    1915

  • The sketch of the round window art

    1897

  • Cyclamen

    1907

  • Stamp Design for Emperor Charles I (not accepted)

    1917

  • Design of 100 crowns bill

    1910

  • Leopoldine Steindl-Moser, eine Schwester des Künstlers, nähend

    1895

  • Design for the anniversary card Korrespodenz (Vienna edition)

  • November

  • Figure study of Tristan

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Three crouching women

  • Design for the bill of 50 crowns

  • Girl in Landscape

  • Design for the Anniversary Stamp with Austrian Emperor Joseph II

  • Self-portrait

  • Figure study to Mermaid

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Poster of five art exhibition of the Association of Austrian Artists of Secession

  • Reproduction template for the left part of the leaf for Gerlach's love allegories. New Series, Plate 30

  • Study of clouds

  • Cover design for Meggendorfer leaves

  • Flower pot and ceramic jug

  • Design for the 10 Heller Porto brand of Austrian Post in the Levant (not issued)

  • Church Am Steinhof, drawing of western window

  • Study for The Wanderer

  • Fabric design with trout dance for Backhausen

  • Female Nude with blue cloth

  • Wotan and Brunhilde

  • Draft for the space of ​​the Austrian State Printing House on show in London

  • Poster for the XIII. Secession

  • The 100 crowns bill

  • The reciprocal of dancers

  • Poster for Fromme's Calendar

  • Laurel wreath

  • Steinhoch church in Vienna

  • Fabric design with birds for Backhausen

  • Spring morning

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Iris. Illustration to a poem by Arno Holz.

  • Lake Garda

  • Draft for wall decoration in the living room of the apartment in Berlin Stonborough

  • Kolo middle Dolomites

  • Backhausen Interior Texiles for the Bristol Hotel in Bolzano

  • Character study of Venus in the Grotto

  • A modern Tantalus. Illustration for 'Meggendorfer leaves'.

  • Stage design for 'The Phantom' of Hermann Bahr

  • Church Am Steinhof, drawing of the angel in the left side window

  • Loneliness

  • Early spring. Illustration to a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

  • Postage stamp design for mail postal (not issued)

  • Parrot tulips bloomed

  • Design for a Stage Decoration

  • Landscape in Semmering

  • The light

  • Happy editing. Illustration with self-portrait.

  • Profile of a girl. Preparatory work for a decorative stain in red and green.

  • Waidmannsheil

  • Reclining Female Nude (Mileva Roller)

  • Square vignette

  • Stamp Design Crown Prince Otto (not accepted)

  • Am Steinhof Church, mosaic design for the main altar

  • Drafts for metal relief

  • Design for the fabric

  • Fabric design with moving waves for Backhausen

  • Design for the Anniversary Stamp Austrian with Empress Maria Theresa

  • Fabric design with floral awakening for Backhausen

  • Rudolf Steindl, a brother of the artist

  • Reproduction template for the right part of the leaf for Gerlach's love allegories. New Series, Plate 30

  • Exlibris Adele Bloch - Bookplate with princess and frog

  • Head of the girl

  • Am Steinhof Church, Design for the left side altar Our Lady of Mercy

  • Holy Spirit Church in Düsseldorf, design for the left side wall with a baptistery

  • Hyacinths

  • Girls in henhouse

  • Dancer

  • Landscape with cloudy sky

  • Study for Venus in the Grotto

  • Meadow

  • Self-portrait

  • Design of the anniversary stamp with Austrian Franz Joseph I. on horseback

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Draft drawings for a cabinet in the headquarters of the Vienna Workshop

  • Sketch for a poster of the Vienna Workshop

  • Draft drawings for the breakfast room of the apartment Eisler Terramare, ladies desk chair with retractable

  • Design for the anniversary stamp with Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph

  • Cover design of the first publication of the Association of Austrian Artists Secession

  • Blooming Flowers with Garden Fence

  • Mountain slope

  • Holy Spirit Church in Düsseldorf, design for the left side wall

  • Illustration for the Viennese fashion magazine

  • Stage design for 'The lake' of Julius Bittner

  • Ver Sacrum postcard nr. 12 I. Secessionausstellung with greeting line of the art historian Julius von Schlosser

  • Stamp Design Empress Zita (not accepted)

  • Female Nude

  • Design for the 1102 piastres Porto brand of Austrian Post in the Levant (not issued)

  • Two dancers

  • Landscape in Semmering with view of Rax

  • Book cover of Austrian art of the XIX. Century

  • Pieta

  • Poster for Felix Salzens Jung Wiener Theatre with lieben Augustin

  • Stage design for 'Jeep from the mountain' of Louis Holzberg, stage 2 - Night

  • Reproduction template for the leaf for Gerlach's love allegories. New Series, Plate 35

  • Cover Design for Ewart Felicie Jugendschatz German seals

  • Primmeln in the basket

  • Girl's Head. Cover design Ver Sacrum, 204, 1899.

  • Design for the bill of 50 crowns

  • Vignettes for the catalog Secessionausstellung, 1898

  • Reproduction template for the middle part of the leaf love for Gerlach's allegories. New Series, Plate 30

  • Three women squatting

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Dancer

  • Girl in rose

  • Design for the anniversary stamp with Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph

  • Judith and Holofernes

  • Fruit bowl with three red and yellow pears

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Geraniums

  • Serpentine dancer. Poster design for Lois Fuller.

  • Backhausen Interior Texiles

  • Matter of conscience. Humorous Illustration for Meggendorfers leaves.

  • Am Steinhof Church, colored sketch of south window

  • Drafts for metal relief

  • Poster of the Beethoven sonatas evening

  • Dancer Miss Olga George

  • Draft for a war charity brand

  • Envelope for the score to the opera Julius Bittner's opera 'The musician'

  • Flowers

  • The Frog King

  • The Abersee

  • Pine forest in winter

  • Holy Spirit Church in Düsseldorf, design for the right side wall

  • Study of Portrait of Venus in the Grotto

  • Figure study of Isolde

  • Am Steinhof Church, Design for the rise window

  • Sketch of emblem to 'Ver Sacrum'

  • Clash of the Titans

  • Animal motif for a picture book

  • The Three Graces

  • Mermaid

  • A decorative stain in red and green

  • Head strips

  • Am Steinhof Church, Design for the right side altar Guardian Angel

  • Kolo Moser

  • Landscape in Semmering

  • Daghestan rug design bubbles for Backhausen

  • A crouching woman

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Animal motif for a picture book

  • Pisces

  • Figure study of Tristan

  • Stage design for 'The Phantom' of Hermann Bahr

  • Wreath bearer. Design for decorative facade of the Viennese Secession.

  • Hermann Bahr

  • Design for the Austrian jubilee stamp with view of the Vienna Hofburg

  • Self-Portrait with mermaid

  • Fabric design for Backhausen

  • Postcard to Carl Moll, Ver Sacrum

  • Landscape with Tree

  • Backhausen Interior Texiles for the Bristol Hotel in Bolzano

  • Draft drawings for the breakfast room of the apartment Eisler Terramare High Chair

  • Stage design for 'Jeep from the mountain' of Louis Holzberg, stage 2 - Morning

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Danube waves

  • Mountain ranges

  • Portrait of a Girl

  • Landscape in Semmering

  • View of strains

  • Stage design for 'The lake' of Julius Bittner

  • Picture book for the niece of Ditha Mautner von Markhof

  • Draft of the emblem by the Association of Austrian Artists Secession

Views

Quotations: "Simplicity lies not in omission, but in synthesis."

Membership

Moser was a member of the Siebener-Club (Club of Seven), a group that was the forerunner of the Vienna Secession. In 1897, Moser was a founding member of the Vienna Secession. In 1905, he was one of the members of the so-called Klimt Group.

• Vienna Secession , Austria

  1897

• Klimt Group , Austria

  1905

Connections

Koloman Moser married Editha (Ditha) Mautner von Markhof, of an Austrian wealthy industrial family, in 1905. The couple had 2 sons: Karl Moser and Dietrich Moser.

Father:

Josef Moser

Mother:

Theresia Moser

Spouse:

Editha (Ditha) Mautner von Markhof

Son:

Karl Moser

Son:

Dietrich Moser

colleague:

Josef Hoffmann

References

• Koloman Moser: Master of Viennese Modernism
• Koloman Moser: Designing Modern Vienna 1897-1907
• Koloman Moser
• Koloman Moser: Art Nouveau Fashion
• Koloman Moser, 1868-1918
• Klimt, Schiele, Moser, Kokoschka: Vienna 1900
• Kolo Moser: Graphic Artist and Designer
• Koloman Moser, 1868-1918
• Koloman Moser: Graphik, Kunstgewerbe, Malerei