Gondola Chairs, 1921, Joseph Urban (American, b. Austria, 1872–1933), wood, paint, silver leaf, mother-of-pearl, and reproduction upholstery, Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Jerome M. Shaw

Verbal Description

Hello, my name is Caitlin Tracey-Miller and I am Assistant Director of Visitor Research at the museum. I will be reading the verbal description for the Gondola Chairs in Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.

These Gondola Chairs from 1921 are wood, paint, silver leaf, mother-of-pearl, and have reproduction upholstery. They were designed by Joseph Urban, an Austrian-born American who lived from 1872 to 1933. They are in the Detroit Institute of Arts collection and were a gift of Jerome M. Shaw.

This set of Gondola Chairs has a half-circular shape with a curved back that slopes into thin arms. The back, insides of the arms, and seat are upholstered in a striped cobalt blue, light pink, gold, and burgundy ombre pattern. The stripes run vertically and are of varying widths. The back and sides of the chair are finished in a pale-tea-colored enamel with mother-of-pearl and silvered embellishments.

Label Copy

Hello, my name is Caitlin Tracey-Miller and I am Assistant Director of Visitor Research at the museum. I will be reading the label for the Gondola Chairs in Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.

These Gondola Chairs from 1921 are wood, paint, silver leaf, mother-of-pearl, and have reproduction upholstery. They were designed by Joseph Urban, an Austrian-born American who lived from 1872 to 1933. They are in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts and were a gift of Jerome M. Shaw.

It is easy to imagine an elegant, confident Viennese woman, like those often portrayed in Gustav Klimt’s paintings, posed in one of Urban’s gondola chairs. Even to today’s eyes, the chairs look futuristic. Their cool, simplified lines, "pale-tea-colored enamel" finish, and mother-of-pearl and silvered embellishments perfectly complement their bright-striped Viennese silk upholstery. (Note the similarity between the stripe pattern used here and that used in the Wormser Bedroom.) Designed by Urban and made by artisans in his Yonkers studio, these chairs and matching table set the tone for visitors to the Wiener Werkstätte of America showroom. Positioned in the shop’s octagonal reception room, they framed Klimt’s The Dancer (1916–1917)—the first Klimt painting to enter the United States. The side table held a modern silver tea set.

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